Valentin Perla Blanca: chik...clean... needing functional improvements

This hotel is so new and nice....very clean...the beaches were beautiful and staff very friendly...a few functional things need to improve to speed up some wait times at the buffet and bars...I think just a few more employees would do the trick...they recognised that guests were walking on grass to get places quicker rather than around the long paths, so they started to put walking stones in those frequently used paths rather than fighting to keep grass growing...so they are adapting and making  [... read more]improbements...as for the food...its Cuba but the food is as good as other 4* places I have been in mexico or the Dominican republic... When you are cooking for hundreds of people sometimes flavours and preferences have to be scaled down to suit the mass appeal... If you want 5* dining, go to Sandals...but it was good and the ala carts were very good...all in all a good resort

Memories Paraiso: More of a three star

The resort was a very large and not enough cards driving around to drive people. The food was very good but it was the same food all week long not enough variety. The rooms were nice and very clean. The public bathrooms were horrific they were always filthy half of them didn't have toilet seats and they always stunk. I was very shocked to see that there was a wheelchair bathroom that had no toilet seat on itthey should be ashamed of themselves for that. Okay for a very small children not good fo [... read more]r teenagers not good for elderly people it was better more for adults that want to go there and just drink. The entertainment was amazing. Overall we probably won't go backI don't like all the walking. And I especially don't like standing in a line out for an hour to exchange my money or to book a restaurant. The lineups were very long and the staff were very very slow.

Melia Las Dunas: Perfect!

the people were so friendly from the food service to the grounds keepers, everyone was amazing! the resort property was clean and the whole resort exceeding my expectations. Our buffet service was awesome with our breakfast guy looking for us every morning and having a table ready. The beach service and bar service was just as good!

Valentin Perla Blanca: New Opened Resort that does not have the capacity

The resort is in an isolated island and re.quires lots of good management. When arrived everything there is LINE-UP. Beginning with the Check-In that takes long, and too slow. not enough bell boys, you have got to move your stuff yourself by walking to the room. everyday is a new line-up day for Food, Bank, services, drinks, restaurant reservations. Event worse not enough towels. if you are lucky to have one, then you have to keep it for the whole trip. This resort is dry open, that is expect th [... read more]e un expected,, therefore for those who would like to over this headache, I would not recommend such a difficulties into staying in this resort. better to book in a mature established old resorts

Melia Cayo Santa Maria: A wondeful place to have vacation.

The grounds were well kept. Service was amazing. Loved the 7/24 Bar/food area. Pools were very clean. Loved the fact the resort is small.It felt like we had our very own special resourt. Enterainment during the day/evening was well thought out by the managemnt staff. Loved the fact the entertainment staff got us all involved, from dancing to playing water polo. We were impressed with the Pig Roast around the pool. One negative: The restrooms by the beach need the washroom doors updated. As well  [... read more]the washroom by the pool requires new locks on the doors and update he lower steel plates below. They are a little rusty. All in all, it was wonderful experience. My first time in Cuba!

Melia Cayo Santa Maria: Melia Cayo Santa Maria

I loved this place. It was very clean which impressed me the most The grounds keeper were busy everyday trimming pruning and cutting away dead brush. Sandy was kind enough to get us a fresh coconut to enjoy which was a treat. The beach was lovely although waters usually too rough to swim in and pool cold but when in the hot sun that is overlooked. Most people say the Cuban food is bland but I enjoyed what was there. Anything that didn't look appetizing you just stay away from. Only down side the [... read more]re were ants in the room which was annoying and we only got one beach towel so you had to keep the one you have clean. On the up side the bar fridge was ALWAYS stocked with water and cervasa/pop water is rare commodity but no problem here. Staff mostly were friendly and the tour guide Danielle was hilarious enjoyed the welcome meeting.....This was my first trip to Cuba and definitely will go back. One fellow I spoke to has gone back 30+ times sometimes twice a year so he has earned VIP status no doubt. rooms are quaint and bright Luv this place

Valentin Perla Blanca: Room for improvement

Brand new beautiful ressort, good drinks and beautiful beach... The problem is the service was a bit slow (ex: it took 3 days to get towels and we had the same one for the whole week and it takes a long time to get food at the snack bar). Mature crowd at the ressort made it so there was no annoying and loud, irresponsible parties late at night.

Valentin Perla Blanca: Honest review!

Beautiful resort, buildings , pools, beach. Food was 4 on a scale of 1-10 Poor service at check in. No internet No fresh beach towel x 7 days Management staff not always helpful. Customer service did not follow through on request despite saving they would. Staff somewhat friendly, diff innately worked very hard but for the most part appeared slightly in experienced in interacting/greeting people.

Melia Buenavista: Another Great Relaxing Stay

Our second Christmas vacation here and it did not disappoint. We had such a great time the first time and were looking forward to another great stay. We started off on a negative thanks to our service provider CanJet Vacations (not the resorts fault) as they changed our flight times from an afternoon departure from Toronto to a 6am departure with a stop in Jamaica first. Once we arrived we were warmly greeted by the resort staff who switched our room to accommodate our request. The resort was ab [... read more]out half full with guest, like the last time. We go here for the quiet and intimate atmosphere and were very happy again. It is great going here as you can snorkel at the beach and you are away from the other resorts on the island. Our favourite activity was our nightly champagne on the beach watching the sunset. The food is some of the best on the Island, and does not disappoint. The nightly entertainment is great, we especially enjoy the Spanish dancing. We will definitely return again!

Valentin Perla Blanca: Beautiful resort & beach, but....

- bus ride was comfortable, guide was good, and brought us directly to the resort - although a 2nd floor unit was requested, they had reserved a 3rd floor room, which we did not accept (of course no elevators), fortunately they got us a ground floor room (although with 2 double beds, a unit with king was not available. - the room was vey modern and spacious - the welcome presentation by the Nolitours rep was good - the resort itself, the facilities, the pool and the beach were excellent, worthy  [... read more]of a 5 star rating - the entertainment was OK, but somewhat similar every nite - for the buffets, although there were numerous choices, most dishes were not labelled or incorrectly labelled, most dishes were recognizable but there were dishes that weren't; on the 3rd day, we saw a box full of new food labels, but only a few were ultimately put out. - in general, the food quality at the buffet and speciality restaurants was not very good (meats were always overcooked!), perhaps this is not unusual for Cuba but we did expect better at a new 5 star resort. Fruits (many of them canned not fresh) and vegetables were disappointing. A few dishes were good. - most of the food and beverage servers had difficulty understanding English, but we managed fine. - we explained my wife's allergies to the staff/dining rm. manager, but weren't exactly convinced that they always knew themselves what ingredients were used in the dishes. Fortunately she has no adverse reactions. - I did get a lot of insect bites (not sure if it was sand mites or something else), but managed OK (although should have brought repellent). - wi-fi internet was very unreliable, only worked for a short time (perhaps that's why it was offered for free!) - cleaning of the rooms was inconsistent, for ex. bed linens & towel changes, floor/carpets (which appeared to never have been cleaned) - in general, the staff were very friendly and helpful - luckily for us, the weather was absolutely perfect! All in all, we enjoyed our time, and certainly got the relaxation we needed.

Melia Las Dunas: Excellent Last Minute Trip

We booked on Saturday morning leaving on Wednesday. Price was incredible and Trip Central was fantastic in coordinating the arrangement. The facilities were excellent. The beach was superb, the service was excellent. Kids enjoyed every minute of the stay. My wife and I had a relaxing 7 days in the sun. We would certainly go back to this resort in the future. Very clean and well maintained resort with friendly staff. The food is what you can expect in Cuba however the Cuban fairs are great. The d [... read more]rive from the airport to the resort is approx. 1.5 hrs but worth every minute as you get to see the beautiful country side. Great resort for families and adults as they have 2 pools to cater to both segments.

Valentin Perla Blanca: Happy Valentine! and Happy Valentin

My fiance and I searched all resort in Cuba for two weeks and found out this resort as the best comparing the same (value)range of resort. Brand-new and modern images captured us and we started to search all review for this resort tripadvisor, sunwings, tripcentral, etc. All reviews are "5" with atmosphere, food, staff kindness, etc. We were so excited to see this resort and worried dissapointment as we expected too much. However, the our early concern was really foolish. Valentin Perla Blanca i [... read more]tself it is awesome. It's the end of the Cuba, so takes one and half hours to get to this resort. You don't have to worry to get to the resort. The travel agent is at the airport with the bus. They will explain all about Cuba, resort, and activities. When we got the resort, it was about 11 pm. However, it was bright and vivid. All food and drinks are free. Resort is really nice and staff are super kind and friendly. The resort is huge, but you can take a car (like a golf resort) to get to your room. The special thing is dinner. This resort has 3 meals providing all you can eat. Moreover, 3 free-night dinner theme upon your request among Italian, Spanish, French, and Cuban. It's first come, first serve based. All you need to is line up for 3 free night them dinner. The space is limited, but worth to line up, because the food is so tasty! Beach also right back at the resort. You can have free drink and get a massage (30 mins for 20 Cuc I believe). Pool in the resort also has daily event such as acrobatic show or daily exercise. The resort is all white with orage and green theme. It's very peaceful, clean, modern, and cheerful. I will definitely want to go this resort if I get a chance and I surely want to book them through Tripcentral.ca., which provides customer-oriented and professional services. I was hesitating to miss the timing to book this resort, Wendy (@Tripcentral) supported us to get the right price as well as change the bed type to hotel(from two queen beds to one king bed). Everything was perfect and unforgettable memories. It's like Valnetine Day! Valentin Perla Blanca give us love, love, love! :)

Melia Buenavista: Our 7th stay and possibly the best yet!

Why you should be booking a trip to the Melia Buenavista: Amazing Scenery. Excellent Service. Conscientious and Caring Staff. Clean and modern rooms. Quiet and laid back atmosphere with sophisticated service. Greatly improved food quality and service. (Not "for a Cuban resort", the food stood up against any other country we've traveled to) Amazing snorkeling (and fishing if that's your thing) right from shore. Sergio, the food and beverage manager is welcoming and genuine and wants your feedback [... read more]. A really great guy and a bit of a character as well! Simply said, you should try it out. A very solid value. We're planning to be back in June.

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Good Resort - Playa Cayo Santa Maria

My husband, daughter, grandson & myself spent one week at this resort Dec. 19-26, 2014. First and formost if you are booking this hotel, book for two days extra as we never got to the resort until after 4 pm so one day lost of sun. We had to leave 9:00 am so another day of sun lost. So travelling takes one day to get there and one day to go home, we basically only had 5 days of beautiful sunshine. The weather was perfect! I mean perfect, couldn't ask for better weather. When we went to the beach [... read more] there was always someone there to get your beach chairs for you and they set them up, brushed them off and even put your beach towel in place. Loved those guys, they were always so ready to do everything for us. The entertainment on the beach everyday was amazing. Stretching, yoga & aerobics - and then they played games, different every day. This entertainment went to one of the many pools after lunch. We didn't do the pools, as the beach was amazing - very clean and oh so warm. We had 4 a-la-carts (one being Christmas supper). The a-la-carts were excellent . The buffet was not very good, line ups are ridiculous as they only have one buffet for breakfast and supper and the food was not the greatest. The beach buffet was amazing (as you could order from the menu, the pizzas were awesome as well as the spaghetti. The beach BBQ was also GREAT, hot dogs and ham & cheese. Not a lot to choose from but was so good. The snack bar was also wonderful food. I especially loved the pork & sauerkraut. The also cooked 3 pigs in the earth. They were delicious. The grounds were very clean, the rooms were also very well kept. Loved having my towel art everyday (except for the day we arrived and the day before we left). We only did one night entertainment - Michael Jackson - the best Michael Jackson I have ever seen. GREAT job team Michael Jackson. The bathrooms need to be cleaned more often, and when a toilet is not working get it fixed fast, especially on the beach only one bathroom in working order and the door on the wheelchair one was broken so you couldn't use it unless someone was with you. Overhall I had a wonderful vacation and would definitely plan another trip there but like I said before book for two days extra for travelling.

Memories Paraiso: e

No lunch and dinner tables available a couple days before New year . Frustrated family sit together. Water will sent due to the tip. Need remind them to bring towrls just for the tip purpose. Can not change beach towel everyday.

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Beautiful resort

The bathrooms needed more attention, almost all of the them were dirty and out of tissue on the resort and and the beach resturant I could do with less stray cats :( breaks my heart The al la carte meals were great, wasn't really impressed with the buffets, was always kinda hungry Staff were amazing and attentive Only 1 beer and 1 water in fridge isn't enough when you have 2 ppl. I requested more several times but never got it so I have up asking Light is bathroom was broken and never did get fi [... read more]xed

Valentin Perla Blanca: beautiful new resort

Beach amazing, but hard to access. Grounds and gardens well established for a new resort. Rooms nice and modern. Food and restaurants just ok. Service ssslllooowww, but ok for us, not in a hurry on vacation. Book privilege, worth it for the lounge. Got tired of listening to guests complaing.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: amazing unforgettable trip

Loved everything about the trip from the beach to the pool to the staff to the food :) everyone was so nice and sweet. The shows were fun and entertaining. Would go there again! Loved the pinacoladas by the way!

Valentin Perla Blanca: Beautiful resort but poor service

We stayed for a week over New Years and I don't think the resort knew how to deal with so many people arriving after having a limited amount initially. It was very difficult to get waited on for a drink or food. The restaurants have a long way to go for food quality. We ran out of water twice during our stay and our towels were only changed once. There was no management around to address any issues so unfortunately the staff had to deal with some angry customers. The building itself is very nice [... read more] but the resort has a lot of growing pains to deal with first.

Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Best Resort in Cuba

Have been to 20+ all inclusive resorts all over mexico and Caribbean, this one tops them all. Best beach, service, and features of any resorts I have seen. Was hesitant to book this vacation because vowed to never go back to Cuba because of terrible food and usually get sick. Gave it one more shot and my mind is changed. Have never been to same place twice because there are so many but will definitely be back here. Would like to make it a yearly tradition. The airport was rather primitive but l [... read more]ove to walk down the stairs onto tarmac and get hit with the warm tropical air. Immigration process was fast and no searches from what I saw. Found bus quick and easy without harassment, picked up a couple cold beers outside, 2 for $5. Beer was also available for purchase on the bus, but beware that there are no bathrooms on bus and is a 2 hour drive to hotel. We made 2 roadside stops on way for a girl on our bus that just couldn't hold it. Stopped at two other hotels and finally arrived, check in was a breeze. Didn't bother finding or waiting for a golf cart to take us to room. Just rolled bags over and found building without any problem, even at night. Room was clean and has a great layout. Booked seaview room so were on top floor of building 5, facing ocean. Balcony was adequate size and very private because end of other building faced us where staircase was located. Fridge was stocked with a 1.5L bottle of water, 2 beers, and 2 sodas. I loved how the bed was facing patio door with TV in corner, fridge underneath. We left sliding door open at night to let a fresh breeze into the room, which is much better than the cold, dry air conditioning. Didn't matter that the latch fell off right away because meant we couldn't be locked out on balcony by accident and no risk of intruders on the third floor. The dresser unit behind bed was perfect for spreading out all the beach gear on for quick access, never put anything inside it, just used suitcase open in corner. Closet was decent size for hanging evening wear and had safe to lock valuables, ironing board, and umbrella, which was never used. Bathroom was large and no complaints except girlfriend didn't like the bit of mold on showerhead and spots of mold on some tile. That sort of thing doesn't bother me at all, especially since it is not easily removed and harmless. May not have been mold, just black stains or whatever. The TV channel selection was good with HBO and another English movie channel, news, etc. Watched some decent shows on Discovery mostly in evenings. If you would like your fridge stocked with more stuff than they normally give, put a note with what you want and some cash. For example, I asked for 2 waters and 4 beers instead of the normal stuff. They gave me 3 waters, 6 beers, and 2 sodas, for only $5 tip it is totally worth it. We were there for New Year and knew it would be rough morning so asked for 6 waters, they gave us 8 and couple beers for good measure. For whatever reason they don't like to give away whole bottles of water at the various bars, just small glasses. The bars were everywhere and always superb service. Never waited very long for a drink. If you don't want to go back every 5 minutes, bring your own insulated mug. Their cups are 8oz at the most, half a beer. The beer is cold as ice and mixed drinks are whatever you want them to be. They even have slushy machines everywhere. Lobby bar could be very busy in the evening and service was horrible so avoided it at all cost. Better to go to the cigar bar just around the corner, which was never busy. Even the theater bar was reasonable and very close to lobby. Cigar bar had the best selection of liquor, where you could purchase top grade scotch such as Macallan for $7 a shot, much cheaper than back home. Another great feature was the wine bar, just down the hall from lobby desk. It had opened for first time when we were there and had wide variety of wine available (mostly Spanish and South American) for extra cost. The average price was $10/bottle, charged to room and paid on checkout. They even served cheese with it. When you are tired of the same free bar wine all the time, go there and you won't be disappointed. My favorite place was the beer garden. It was never busy and had the coldest canned or bottled beer at the resort. Nice to finish the day there but was open from 10am to 10pm everyday. Our favorite place to eat was the snack bar because of its central location, good service, and all the items were delicious. We ordered chicken fingers and pizza there almost daily. They would also serve a continental breakfast of bacon, eggs, fruit, etc. from 7-11 so could still get breakfast if you missed the buffet, which closes at 10am. After that they serve burgers, hot dogs, pizza, etc. all day and night. The snack bar at beach was most surprising because we didn't see it until our second last day. They had lunch daily with buffet offerings of chicken, pasta, salad, bread, etc. all things that main buffet had but much more convenient. On the far side of the beach buffet they made fresh pasta, wood burning oven pizza topped any way you want, fresh grilled meats, and even had a menu of items you could order from. Everything there was delicious. The main buffet had anything you could possibly want for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Numerous omelette stations, fresh pancakes, donut making station, and fresh squeezed juices were breakfast highlights. Didn't really go there for lunch but would be just as good. Dinner had fresh pasta station, custom pizza making, grilled meats made just for you. Didn't really wait in line for those things because buffet items were just as good, huge selection. The best dinner of the week was New Year. We arrived at opening and were shocked to see full trays of lobster tail, bacon wrapped chicken breasts, bacon wrapped steaks, potatoes, vegetables, carving turkeys and wide range of other items. My only regret is that my stomach has a limited capacity. This place had the best food I have ever seen in Cuba from the 5 or so places visited. Likely safe to say best food in all of Cuba. Our tour representative told us at orientation that we had picked the best resort in Cuba, but took awhile to prove that point. He was absolutely right. The a la carte restaurants were great if you don't want to be a complete pig at the buffet. We went to the Asian, Cuban and Romantic. They had various menu items available for a change of pace. If you didn't like whatever you may have ordered, could always head over to the buffet or snack bar afterward. Thankfully we did not have to do that. If you are a condiment snob like we were, bring your own ketchup, mustard, mayo, hot sauce, BBQ, etc. We did and it made every meal that much more enjoyable. Their condiments leave much to be desired or are simply unavailable. Don't believe the negative reviews about the beach and how it should be changed. I could see how some areas would be tough for older people to navigate but there are ways to get down the small hill safely if you know where to go. I personally loved the raised area above with shaded chairs because it provided perfect views of the ocean below. You can walk forever in either direction and the warm, clear water is world class. The pools were very nice and about same temperature as ocean but did not spend much time there because love playing in the waves. Pool is rather shallow and better for just freshening up on way back to room. The staff was amazing and even though they work 6 days a week, and long days because it is 2 hour commute for many of them to arrive at work, they usually have a smile or are pleasant. I totally understand that some may be grumpy or having bad day but usually hide it well. Tips are not expected but can brighten their day. I brought a bunch of $5 just for that purpose. Keep in mind that to our standards, they are overworked and extremely underpaid. If everyone brought at least $100 tip money with them it would be a very nice gesture. There are various excursions offered but we did not do any of them. They do offer a VIP service at the airport for $25 per person. This is the best money we spent the entire trip. The check-in process at airport can be rather slow and there is separate line for VIP. Then inside the terminal there is a VIP lounge that has all drinks and food included in package. Very comfortable leather chairs, couches, TVs, bathrooms, and even a smoking room. The main terminal area does not have much to offer and can be an uncomfortable, busy place. Your bus arrives at terminal 3 hours before plane leaves so comfort is key. This VIP lounge was a highlight of the trip because our plane was delayed and they had the Dallas/Detroit NFL playoff game on TV. We ate and drank like kings one last time before heading home. The staff lets you know when you can go to plane and have door from lounge directly onto tarmac. If you book this resort, you will not be disappointed. Well, if you are hung up on star rating and somebody impossible to please that likes to complain about the slightest imperfection, maybe you will be.