Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Good resort for the price paid!

Resort was well maintained and rooms were spacious. Very clean and modern looking. The layout of the resort is simple and easy to get around to which is nice. We stayed in bungalow 6 which was closed to everything and still in a quiet area. Many pools to choose from and lots of lounge chairs so there is no need to wake up early to reserve spots by the pool. The beach is lovely, however very narrow and difficult to get too for those who having mobility issues as you are required to walk down a sl [... read more]ope of rocks, there are some stairs at the far end of the resort however also on a slope. I didn't enjoy that the beach was narrow, was way too crowded. It was very windy so not many people could swim out in the ocean. Seen some jelly fish washed up on shore...that was pleasant! The service requires some improvements, it almost seemed as they were under staffed. The waiters however tried their best and you could see they were working under pressure. The food at the buffet got old very quickly, alot of repetition for lunch and dinner and often times cold. We don't go to Cuba for the food anyways so it wasn't much of an issue for us. We did enjoy how they cooked the seafood and meats in front of you, that was a plus. Breakfast was lovely, great variety. I really enjoyed the deep fried donuts..yum! The snack bar by the beach was by far the best for their stone oven pizza. They also barbequed fresh meats of your choice. The a la carte restaurants were amazing for Cuba, We ate at the Asian and Romantic and enjoyed them both very much. The lobster was cooked very well and they had an abundance of seafood entrees available. My biggest disappointment was that the resort had a ton of children and yet not a great kids club or activities available for them. There were no kids competitions during the day, the club lacked many supplies for kids to play with. (crayons all broken into pieces, no paper, few toys to play with, enough probably for one person at a time). I asked staff if they did crafts or had structured play time and she stated only if they have enough participants. One day I noticed there were 7 kids and there was no play of any kind, instead they had a PS3 system in which the kids spent there time with while staff were talking on their cell phones in another room. I have 3 small children and would not feel comfortable leaving them in the kids club. All in all, the resort is nice,people are lovely. This is my 4th time to Cuba and 2nd in Cayo Santa Maria. LOVE LOVE Cayo Santa Maria. I would probably return to Iberostar Ensenachos next time as there beach was alot nicer and my children had a blast at their kids club. Oh and they have a lovely water park which is a plus.

Valentin Perla Blanca: Won't be going back.

My entry starts like this: When we booked our trip we requested a upper level room in the adult section because it was our aniversary and we were hoping for a quiet stay. No children. When we arrived at the resort they gave us a main Floor room in the Family section. So right away we asked for a room change. they told us to come back in the morning. As soon as the shuttle service got to our room door with our luggage the shuttle driver tried to open are door and the card wouldn't work so he and  [... read more]a few other service people lick the card and the door eventually opened. It was quit late when we arrived so we decided to go find the 24 hr snack bar and grab a beer and sandwich. After finishing are meal at around midnight we head back to our room and are swip card dosent work again. I am not going to lick my card. I swip the card in and out several times and it finally lets me in after about 5 or so minutes of trying. The next day I go to the lobby to request another room and they told me there is nothing and to come back tomorrow. I tell them the issue with our door card. So they proceed to re calibrate are card. But I tell them its not the card it's the door. That day we desided to go to the adult pool section so we left our room and started the 10 min walk hopping to catch a shuttle on our way. There was alote of shuttles going buy and they were empty but the drivers would just quickly drive buy and not offer to pick us up. When we arived at the adult pool we tried to get towels and they wouldn't give us towels because we were in the family section and we would have to go all the way back to the family pool to get our towels. Are you starting to sense our frustration? That night after a nice day in the sun we head back to our room on the other side of the resort and low and behold we still can't get in our room. So I walk to the lobby and tell them my issue again with the door. What do they say? Oh sorry sure we will send down a technician. We were stuck out side our room in the hallway for an hour waiting for the technician. When he arrived he was a very nice gentleman. And he did fix our door. The next morning I go back down to the lobby to see about a room switch again and they tell me thay have no record of me asking for a switch but they do have a room available and to be ready with our luggage and call the shuttle service and they will take us to our room. We did just that. But waited 45 min for the shuttle service then desided to walk with our luggage to the lobby to get our key switched and when I asked if they would shuttle us to our room they said "No Walk" After getting to our new room we decided it would be a fresh start. But low and be hold the second night in the new room water starts to flood in from our front door from the maid service room. I call the Lobby and I can hear them giggling on the other end after telling them my situation then some one else answers the phone asking me to repeat my problem. We waited 30 to 45 minutes again for some one to come and fix the issue. Did it really fix the problem no because the next night. The water comes flowing in again. So my experience was not a 4 1/2 star experience.

Melia Las Dunas: Good vacation spot!

Overall, I enjoyed our stay at Melia Las Dunas. This was my first time vacationing in Cuba. I would consider it closer to a 3+ resort rather than a 4+ resort, however. Resort: This resort is huge! I had no idea how large and spread out the layout of it was before we arrived. Be prepared to do lots of walking between your room, the restaurants/buffets, the pools, and the beaches. However, the amenities are centrally located so are easy to find, and they supple shuttle cars that pick you up and t [... read more]ake you where you want to go if you don't want to walk. Room: We ended up upgrading our room to an ocean view after our first night. Our original hotel room left a lot to be desired; it was musty smelling, they had placed two twin-sized beds together to make a "king" bed, and we realized after our first night that the sheets were stained. Gross. However, the upgrade process was easy at the front desk and not too expensive, and the ocean view room was much nicer. Pools: Both the Relax and Entertainment pools were great. Clean, tons of chairs to choose from, and both have a swim-up bar. Beach: Incredible! We spent a ton of time at the beach. The bars are just steps up from the beach, and at time there were workers who took your order from the beach, and got your drink for you. The sand is beautiful and the water is picturesque. Restaurants/Buffets: The buffets were fine. There was a lot of the same selection to choose from each day, but all tasted fine. Definitely book an a-la-carte reservation at the Oriental restaurant if you like this kind of food! It was amazing, and the best one we went to. The Italian restaurant was only okay. There is a 24 hour beer garden, serving food and drinks. Food was so-so, but great when you are hungry and the buffets are closed. But for the first room we were assigned, I enjoyed our first time in Cuba a lot. I would likely book a better-rated resort in this area next time, however it is great if you are looking for a mid-range place to vacation for a week.

Melia Las Dunas: Fantastic Stay

We stayed at the Melia Las Dunas Jan. 26 - Feb 2/15. Overall resort is great - beautiful grounds, lobby, rooms, pools, beaches. Restaurants were good - not the best we've ever had, but what we expected. Bartenders were always smiling and happy to make us our drinks the way we wanted them. Drive from airport is about 1 hour 40 minutes, worth the drive to get to that beach! Housekeeping took great care of our room and always left fresh towels (which I've read some people had issues with... not us  [... read more]:-) Lots of activities going on everyday to keep you busy. We budgeted $10-$20 per day for tipping, and that was the perfect amount - just like at home, good service gets the tip! Would recommend this hotel to anyone! **One tip: be careful when you exchange your money - we didn't have any issues, but talked to someone who was just about scammed at the currency exchange at the airport - do the math!

Melia Las Dunas: Excellent Resort

Melia Las Dunas is a beautiful large resort where we enjoy relaxing on the beach, near the pool and walking through the gardens. The food is excellent and we enjoy the shows at night. The personnel is very friendly and you feel very safe all the time. We stayed there 7 times both in the adult section and the in children section with our daughter and grandson. We already booked to return for another week.

Melia Las Dunas: Awesome vacation, mediocre resort

I went with 5 friends - my husband and I, and 2 other couples. We had such a great time overall! The beach was amazing, the staff was awesome for the most part. The food was mediocre, but that is too be expected. We had requested king beds, but instead got 2 twin beds pushed together. As for entertainment; the resort is huge, so my friends and I didn't realize that we were on the 'adults only' side for the first few days. This resulted in a boring and quiet pool with no activities going on. Lat [... read more]er in the week we meandered over to the other side and it was much more exciting and suited us better as we are all active people. Advice I would give: Make sure you look around the resort the first day so you can find the best place for you and your crew. Don't expect anything great food-wise (however, our oriental a la carte was amazing!), and the drinks are never quite the same. But if you love the beach and the sun and a clean resort, this is the one for you.

Valentin Perla Blanca: alot of potential

resort was great,staff was great, wait times for food and drinks are long These wait times are not due to the staff but due to the system that is in place for them to work the cook should only be responsible for cooking not for prep or getting the ingredients for the food also at the bars the drinks should be on both sides of the bar saves the bartenders from walking around the bar to get drinks if little things were done it would make a big difference in wait times. We would like to go back aga [... read more]in in another 6 months because at this time we think the resort will qualify for the five stars. During our stay improvements seem to be made every day, bring large drink containers if you plan to stay at the beach its a long walk back to the bar, also most consistent food place to eat was for lunch at the seafood restaurant

Valentin Perla Blanca: bad organization

Long way to match Valentin Mexico. Very basic food tasteless, very cheap drinks, wine was not drinkable, too acid. Personal need a lot of training and discipline, lack of management, not too many rules in place to follow.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Beautiful Beach

Gorgeous beach. Resort is just getting up and going so few issues but nothing I could not live with. Pools where lovely. The people where friendly and where happy to assists. Had an awesome tow weeks.

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Good Resort

Very clean, spacious rooms, beautiful beaches and pools (two of each, each one busy for families and one quite for adults). Good entertainment. Food is not the best, after a few days I got a little tired of egg omelet every morning and especially the line ups around freshly cooked food, like fish, pasta or fruit shakes...the rest was just not the best...overall good, easy stay...like most the all inclusive ones!

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Great experience

Our experience at the Starfish Resort was better than we expected. We have been to Cuba several times before and this was by far the best. The staff is very friendly and helpful(Treat them as you would like to be treated - great people), the grounds well kept, the food was very good and lots of selections, and the beach was to die for. The pool area was very clean and well maintained. Really enjoyed the diverse entertainment(especially the rock and roll band) Our stay was very relaxing and enjoy [... read more]able. Just a couple of minor things to take care of - a posted menu of drinks at the bars would make it easier for new comers(ie. the common mixed drinks, but also recommended local favorites) and also the beach towel issue, which we understand was not the resorts fault but the outside cleaning company. We have traveled to the Dominican, Bahamas, Jamaica, and Florida and as I said before, several times to Cuba, but this years vacation ranked with the best. In the ratings above I only registered a 4, this resort was closer to a 4.5. I hope the new Canadian owners maintain and fine tune this resort to it's full potential, because I know I will keep a watch on next years deals with a hope to return. Good Luck

Melia Las Dunas: Fabulous Resort!!!

The rooms are spacious and well appointed. The beaches are amazing. The Entertainment fabulous. The grounds are very well maintained and even the gardeners are friendly. My hubby and I loved the grill for lunch where we dined on fresh fish, chicken, beef and pork. Going back for spring break with my 14year old son...he will have a blast.

Gran Muthu Cayo Santa Maria: Quiet, Isolated, Comfortable Resort

This Hotel is nice clean interesting the only thing that is bothersome is the language barier us Canadians are the most popular clients that support Cuba so at least they should speak and comprehend English

Melia Las Dunas: Wonderful Family vacation

We visited from Jan 22-29, 2015 and had a wonderful family vacation. I went in with low expectations because of all the reviews I read, but this hotel is good. The vacation is what you make it. I strongly believe that some posters are just negative people and have nothing nice to say. We arrived in the evening and the check in experience was great. We were put on the family side, building 33, on the upper level, which is what we wanted. The room was clean and very spacious. We ate our first meal [... read more] at the international buffet and it was pretty good. The next day, we woke up and reserved our spots by the pool. We realized afterwards that we did not have to do this as there are plenty of chairs. The family side as a great pool for the kids. Water only goes shin deep and is perfect for all kids to play in. My kids loved it! We had no difficulties changing our towels on a daily basis. The Hotel itself is beautiful and well kept. The rooms are clean and the staff is friendly. The grounds are very large and there is a lot of walking to be done, but what else will you do after all those meals. The food was okay. A lot of variety every day. Yes, some repetition, but what do you expect. We found that they were creative in using a dish from the day before into something new the next day. The fish and meat stations were fantastic. Fresh and grilled to your liking. You need to have patience to wait in line, but well worth it. There are a lot of varieties for everyone, even vegetarians. There are a lot of rice dishes and vegetable dishes. The pizzeria is very good. We ate there 3-5 times during the week. The beach is STUNNING. Crystal clear water and white sand. The kids loved it for their first beach experience. Otherwise, it was a fun trip. Great weather, beautiful beach and great staff. Make your vacation what you want it to be and do not listen to all the negative comments. We have been to other resorts in Cuba and this way better.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Amazing Time. Beyond my wildest expectations

Words can never explain or cover the amazing time we had at Starfish. This resort went beyond the beyond in customer service to see that we had an exquisite five star stay. Everything was immaculate and perfect. The food was unbelievable. First class buffet. Excellent choices. Never able to try everything in the week we were there. The beach was to die for. The pool too. Poolside entertainment very tasteful. Had to say I feel like I stayed in paradise in the lap of luxury for a week. Would defin [... read more]ately return and bring friends

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Pleasently Surprised

We booked at the last minute and then checked the reviews....the resort had some pretty bad reviews over the holidays. Called our agent and expressed our concern over some of the comments and was told the resort had been purchased by a new company and where in transition, but we should go and give it a try and that they were just a call away if we had issues......we had a great holiday. The biggest concern was the lack of beach and room towels. The entertainment, beach, pool and resort in genera [... read more]l were great. We will be back !!

Valentin Perla Blanca: Beautiful Resort

The resort and beach and pools are beautiful.The staff are friendly and try to please.The food is unedible. Long lineups for food and drinks. Not enough staff. Sometimes no hot water and other times no water at all in rooms.

Memories Paraiso: Average stay but could have been better

We stayed at this resort from Jan 21 to Jan 28 2015. The resort is well maintained and the gardeners and cleaners are working hard to have it be this way. However the food is what it's downfall is. I have been to Cuba 2 times prior and though the food wasn't amazing it was certainly better than here. The lack of spoons for each dish, especially in the salads and condiments was unreal. Food was often cold or not very hot and therefore by the time you got to sit down it was cold. there was variety [... read more] but it just didn't have the flavour of Varadero and Cayo Coco. The pools were beautiful and so was the beach. Not a lot of kids activities for 10 and up. But lots for younger kids. They did have a survey and hopefully they will take the considerations into account. The drive from the airport passes quickly and it is wonderful to see the country side. The Dolphinarium trip was an amazing experience for the kids. It was well worth the money. I did not book any A La Cartes as the line up was always really long. Maybe that would have helped with the mundane of the buffet.Overall it was a nice stay, after all even a bad day on the beach beats a -31 which is what it was when we left Ottawa.

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Playa Cayo Santa Maria

This resort has beautiful grounds and the pools were very clean and easy to access. The beach was beautiful but difficult to get to as we also had my wife's father and had to climb down rocks to access it. Food was very good and something for all. Staff at the resort were very pleasant and always smiling. We were somewhat disappointed that the Canjet rep was only there 1 hour a day and not very accessible.

Iberostar Selection Ensenachos: Amazing Place

One of the most beautiful places I have ever been!Spent one week with my granddaughter. We both loved this resort.Great variety of food/unusual for Cuba/,very friendly staff,plenty of things to do. Planning to go back soon