Nice and clean resort

We enjoyed it very much! The beach was beautiful. The ocean was superb! I'm not one to go in the ocean. But, this was an exception. Food was good, my daughter and I didn't have any problems. My husband and my stepson are very specific with their food. But they managed and they were fine with it. People are friendly. The only down part was a specific waitress in the lobby lounge that had attitude. I didn't appreciate that very well. The night shows were good especially the one with Michael Jackso [... read more]n it was AMAZING!!!

Good service

A great place to stay, friendly customer service, clean environment, not the greatest food but you can find something to eat. Nice beach, clean rooms and wonderful resort. We will go there again if we have a chance.

Great resort...fanulous beach

The rooms were clean and spacious, wonderful food choices both at the snack bars, buffet restaurants and the individual restaurants and attentive service. Resort had many buildings but retained its small resort service.

Incredible Place to Vacation!

My husband and I stayed for a week at this resort last February and it was amazing. The food, the beach, the service, the rooms, everything. We seriously could not find one thing to complain about. We have stayed on the same beach 3 times in the last 4 years, often paying more money and not being as happy. I would recommend this resort to anyne!

Way better than varadero

Our first trip to Cuba was amazing..but I found some things in varadero I wasn't all that excited about. Santana Maria area is beautiful! The people are very friendly and not always looking for something from you (it only happened once and I said no and that was that) I was excited to go fishing in the area and was not disappointed.. (well there was the cab ride to the bridge wich turned into an adventure....but that is another story) If you bring your own stuff, go out with the job ie cat guys  [... read more](it's a big secret.......not) I went out twice for 20 pesos each and caught barracuda and a rather large snapper. I gave my fish to my driver this time and he was very excited about the snapper. We thought the rooms were laid out a little funny, but who cares..The room is some place to sleep that's it... The lay out of the resort is great! The only pain in the butt is getting money. The bank is only open so long and some times there is quite the line up. Overall we thought that this way out did varadero and I would go back to this resort in a heartbeat! A big thank you to our trip central concierge for all his help setting up outings and answering all our questions. .

Nice Resort

I travelled here with my family(2 year old girl, 5 year old boy and two 17 year old girls) on July 4-11, 2014. We really enjoyed our stay. The resort was clean, the room was nice except for the shower head in my bathroom. It was too close to the wall and it was very difficult to stand under it. I had to hold the showerhead, which was very uncomfortable. All the other rooms in the villas 5 had renovated bathrooms, guess they just hadn't gotten to ours. The cleaners always had a nice towel arrange [... read more]ment for us! The service was great. Everyone was very friendly and always willing to assist. This is why we love Cuba. Cubans are the nicest people. The beach was amazing! The beach grill was the best, food wise. They had a variety of buffet choices and an la carte menu too. We had the fish every time. It was delicious. The waitresses and cooks there were very nice and attentive. The buffet food on the other hand, was not the best. There wasn't much of a selection and it was the same food everyday. We really got tired of the food there. The 2 restaurants we tried(seafood and Italian) were very good. The food was great. The seafood restaurant had lobster! It was just too bad we could only try 2. The entertainment staff was great. Camaron, was amazing!! my 5 year old became very fond of him as he played with him in the pool numerous times. They really took care of our girls. They made sure they got on the return bus when they went to the estrella club. The entertainment could have used a few more interactive games. Like water polo. The games they had were repetitive and often times boring. Like bingo at 3pm. Who wants to play that at that time? Also, the resort did not give out any prices for playing their games. I thought they were being a bit stingy here as this is what motivates people to participate. They gave winners "certificates". You think they would at least give out t-shirts or something. This was disappointing. Every other resort we have gone to always has a price for the winners. I took advantage of the kid's club while I was there.The girls at the kid's club were great with my two year old daughter. They played with her and put her to sleep with no problem. The cigar bar is great. Too bad they don't play music every day there. The one night we got "out" alone, there was no music playing and we ended up at the main lobby bar playing our own music and chatting with the bartenders until 4am. As for the beach it is beautiful. No rocks and plenty of beach chairs. Too bad it was often too hot and the ocean water was warm. But of course this is out of the resort's hand. July seems to be very hot there. Overall I would say it was a nice resort.

Lots of Fun!

We visited this resort in March. It was our second trip to Cayo Santa Maria but first to this resort so we were well aware that the bus ride takes longer than to other resort areas. Our room was great, clean, lots of hot water and the glass enclosed shower stall was lovely. The entertainment was lots of fun especially karaoke night which was held poolside. Wow, there were some really talented singers staying there as guests! The food was typical cuban. You won't starve. Long lines for bank. Beac [... read more]h was wonderful except there was a bit of a hill to go up and down to get to and from the waters edge. I would, and have recommended it.

Great family vacation

My family and i (4 adults) stayed at this hotel from June 13 to 20. We had an excellent time. The hotel is beautiful; very clean. Lots of large pools and the beach is rhe most beautiful that i have ever seen. There's alot of options for food. My brother loved the 24 hours snack bar. Parents loved the fried snapper at the beach buffet. Lots of fresh fruits and cheese available for breakfast and dinner. Lobby bar is great. They have an excellent cappuccino and hot chocolate. Servers were great, th [... read more]ey are really genuine. Would recommend this to anyone looking for a relaxing getaway.

Fantastic Family Getaway

We traveled to this resort as a family of four with two children. This resort is just lovely. The grounds are well maintained, rooms are basic but are kept very clean and have everything you could need. We were pleased with the amount of activities and entertainment, the animation crew was great with kids! There was live music everyday at this resort which was a really nice touch. The people are wonderful and made you feel welcome everywhere you went. There are plenty of pools for different tast [... read more]es (quiet vs activity) and the beach is the best I have seen! The resort has a wonderful quaint and friendly feel but has plenty to offer. We found the buffet was excellent, lots of great fresh to order stations. The staff at the buffet were so friendly and eager to make conversation and always had a smile on their face. The Seafood restaurant and Gourmet were not great but we enjoyed the Italian and our friends said the Asian was good as well although we didn't try if ourselves. We will defiantly be back!

Playo Cabo - Santa Maria

Comments on the resort: The resort is a for sure 4.5**** - beautiful and very family oriented and relaxing Staff was great – very friending and very help Beaches are picture perfect – never imaged how beautiful Food – sorry this was the down fall – no taste – no imaginations – not our favorite – family give this a 2** AL cart was good 4** Overall loved it – will go back for the resort and beach and the people – thinking that the food will keep us away Katherine Ervasti – yo [... read more]u gets a 5***** for all her services at Trip advisers

Couldn't have asked for more!

My husband and I travelled to this resort on the same beach as we stay at every year, not really wanting to wane from our old faithful resort. Sooo glad we did. We love the other resort we've always stayed at, but this resort exceeded it, as well as our expectations! From the food, to the anemities, to the amazing staff, you simply can not go wrong at this resort. Countless times at the gardens or at the pools I would stop and say "wow, this is breathtaking!" We absolutely plan on going back. An [... read more]d for people who don't stray from a "good thing" too often, so very glad we did!

Wonderful week

The Hotel was clean and well kept up. It was nice to have the 3 different pools for variety. The staff, both cleaning and wait staff, were very friendly and eager to please.The beach was beautiful; with white sand and clear blue water. I would go again tomorrow.

Great resort

This is a big place but there are so many pools to go to, lots of places to eat and a beautiful beach that it never seems or feels crowded. The grounds are immaculate. Lobby, bars, dining areas and restaurants are clean and neat. The food variety was excellent. Turkey, pork, beef, chicken, fish, olives, cheese, prosciutto,salads galore, beans, beets , pickles, peppers, roasted peppers, cole slaw and I could go on and on. If dessert is your thing there are so many different cakes and pastries dai [... read more]ly. Fresh fruit every day, all day long. Fresh squeezed juice every morning.The lineups for the grilling stations get long but you do not have to stand and wait as there is so much to chose from all around you. Rooms are clean, towels changed every day. My only suggestion would be to have more umbrellas on the beach.

Great place for a much needed rest!

Went with my Mom, Aunt and two sisters in Jan 2014 for a much needed rest and time of refreshing. We loved it! Had a fantastic time there and the resort was wonderful. The only thing that was wrong is that it wasn't long enough!

Playa Cayo Santa Maria

When my niece and I chose this resort I was wondering what surprises we would find that werent mentioned .Well the trip from the airport to the resort was rather long but was sooooooo worth it ,the cost was pennies compared to the beauty that we found there I loved this resort the ppl were so friendly the entertainment was really good on some nights was excellent far beyond expectation .The resort was very clean and the room was the best I have stayed in since traveling south (which I have done  [... read more]for about 30 yrs now ) We were more then satisfied with this gem .I would have gone again this past winter but just couldnt get the time frame right to fit in . We will absolutely go there again when the time fits. There was a pool right outside our room there is a snack bar by all six pool hugh pools and the beach is so beautiful. The food is great the service is great the walk to the buffet was a short one from where we were .The only negative thing I think is that we didnt get to see the whole resort til the day before we were to leave .Please consider this before choosing another resort you will not be disappointed .

Fantastic value

Playa Cayo Santa Maria was a beautiful,relaxing resort.The beach was fantastic, the people super and even the food was pretty good. The rooms were huge with large modern bathrooms. We had adjoining rooms with our kids which was great as we could book it this way with Hola Sun. Even the 90 min. bus ride was not too bad as we got to see the countryside and the town in which the locals lived.

Family Vaca 2014

If you looking for fun in the sun and food that is okay than this will fit the bill.... I personally would rather spend the extra $500 and go to Mexico for a family vacation but that is my opinion. My 6 yr old daughter had food poisoning the first night there (on her birthday) and says she will not go back (I would not blame this resort in whole its Cuba). The beach is beautiful and the grounds are decent. I found the rooms to be small..... They do try very hard to compete with the other resorts [... read more] and it is one of the nicer resorts on the island. I personally loved being isolated on this island and found it very relaxing. The catamaran trip was great and I found affordable. Would I go back prob not for no other reason than I would like to try other resorts on the island.

Fantastic Hotel to go back to!

We have gone to (Playa Cayo Santa Maria) 3 times. We love it so much we will keep going back. Staff are very friendly eager to please. Food is amazing especially the Seafood Restaurant on the beach. Overall fantastic place to stay. The beaches are amazing crystal clear blue waters. Everything you need is all under one roof. Must see and experience the beauty they have to offer.

Playa Cayo

The trip was great from all stand points. I know how valuable reviews both negative and positive are for you as an agent. I'll give you as many details as possible. Cubana Air: Knowing as we did that these aircrafts were a bit older and had no in-flight entertainment our expectations were met. We had no trouble with delays and in fact our flight home was 35 minutes ahead of schedule. The food on the flights was good and the service was friendly. HolaSun: Again our expectations were met. The tr [... read more]ansfers to the airport and hotel were on time and the guide went through good explanations of the towns that we travelled through. Everything was handled with professionalism and courtesy. Our representative at the hotel was available most days and the orientation was very good. When he wasn't available there was someone else who could book excursions for us. Playa Cayo Resort: Amazing!! So beautiful and the rooms were large and comfortable. Not the cleanest but as you suggested, we looked at it from the point of view of a third world country and where it counted (the bathroom) it was very clean. Smudges around the door handles etc. isn't a big deal for me in this instance. The pools, gym, public washrooms and restaurants were very clean. The staff (with the exception of the front desk staff and even they weren't bad just not terribly helpful) were spectacular. Very helpful and friendly. Never walked by anyone whether it was a room maid or a maintenance staff without them saying Hola. The beach was so beautiful, sandy and well maintained. The waves were very high the first few days but the sailboats were out on the ocean for a few of the days. We never got any information regarding the paddle boats or canoes they had. We didn't see any out in the ocean so maybe it was because of the waves. It did say in the brochure that they were available for no costs. The tipping process should be explained better though. Who should get tipped? how much? how often? Tips may not be expected but we saw some people tip and others didn't. Felt a little unclear as to what was expected or normal. Overall a very enjoyable experience, but I'm glad we took your advice and had no expectations because they certainly were exceeded.

Fantastic Resort!!!

Easy to get around. Beach was amazing. Food was good also. When we arrived, we did not like our view so we asked to be moved to another room. They moved us immediately to a room that had a better view and was a lot closer to the beach. I would return to this resort.