Amazing resort

it"s a big hotel with multiple ways to walk, the room is big and acceptable, the employees are helpful with smile, the foods in the restaurants are quantitative but not in majority at our taste;Dishes are missing ingredients to make them better. Sunwing team is very professionnal. the pool and the beach lovely.

A bit tired.

Nice facility, staff great. Everything needs a coat of paint but that's ok, this is Cuba. Room was nice. They need to get toilet seats to fit the big, square toilets!. Buffet at Sanctuary was small in comparison to Grand Memories, but staying at Sanctuary we had access to both. No bacon or eggs most days, burgers were non-existent. Not many veggies of the type we are used to. The fish was mainly basa and tilapia. We won't touch either after watching W5. More carts are needed around resorts. At [... read more] check-in times they were not available, a problem if you're handicapped. The female entertainment director at Sanctuary was a rude, pushy person, not a credit to the resort. I will elaborate if the resort contacts me. Both of us were sick. Many others also. Not worth the reasonable price if you can't trust the food! No water at the market. How do the restaurant staff wash their hands and dishes? In a bucket !

Definitely NOT wheelchair accessible

I was told by Carol our travel agent that she had been there before herself that it was all wheelchair accessible. Nothing about this resort was accessible. There were steps to get into every unit of rooms. The main lobby and pool bathroom are definitely not accessible either. I am a below knee amputee and couldn't take my prosthetic along and there were 9 of us that booked because she had told us its definitely wheelchair accessible. The people were great the staff great too!

Wouldn't go back

So, I'm a methodical person and I'm going to give an in depth review from someone who has travelled extensively and a lot of the time, as a solo traveler. When traveling on my own I tend to pay more attention to everything going on around me. Food - I know everyone warns you about the food, which it totally valid, this is not 5 star dining. I have some food allergies so I'm limited to seafood and poultry. I almost always patronized the buffet and stood in line for the chefs cooking up fres [... read more]h fish and calamari for lunch and dinner...this was delicious as was the fresh grilled chicken. The breads were baked fresh and they were tasty. I ate little else from the buffet other than some spring rolls occasionally and I always took items from the salad bar. The few times I strayed from the fresh food in the interest of saving time lining up, I was not impressed. Breakfast was a difficult meal for me as I don't eat pork and that was the majority of the offering. There were real eggs available half the time and powdered eggs available the rest of the time. There are no jams, jelly's or peanut butter to put on your morning toast, so bring that with you as many of the tourists do. I did go to two of the a la carte restaurants and they were both disappointing. Selections, the a la carte located at Sanctuary, can be skipped in my opinion. A lot of the food was the same as what was available on the buffet, just plated nicer. I had the Mahi Mahi and it was overcooked, I couldn't be bothered to stay for dessert. The Italian restaurant at Grand Memories was also disappointing. It was a four course meal with two different apps both made with cheese & tomatoes, the soup tasted like I was eating a bowl of Alfredo Sauce and the actual pasta course was bland. The coffee dessert wasn't worth the calories. Beverage - They ran out of coffee every other day. As someone who needs a coffee in the morning this was a bad start to my day. They advertise that there is coffee in your room but there is only the coffee pod machine as they can't get the pods in. The juice for the drinks are like orange and pineapple TANG, super sweet but still watered down. The house alcohol barely tasted like it was in my drink and you need to ask for a better quality liquor each time. The better brands are hard to come by at the bar as the staff sell them to tourists under the table, which is why I think they are constantly out. Service - Staff were nice but they constantly expected to be tipped every single time you interacted with them. You come across 15-20 staff per day and they all have their hands out. I was actually asked on two different occasions for a tip - once from the bartender at the beach bar and the other time from a staff that served me water for lunch. Now, I tipped staff throughout my stay for good service, which is what tipping is was meant to be, a thank you for good service.....not just a given because someone exists in the hospitality industry. I'm not oblivious to the economic circumstances that the locals live with so I brought some medical items that are hard to get, to give away, while still tipping cash. I can tell you that after the beach bartender blatantly asked me for change/a tip, that I did not feel comfortable going back to that bar. Not that I need to explain but I happened not to have any change on me when heading to the beach. Sanitation - This was sorely lacking. There is no toilet paper in any of the public bathrooms, you need to bring your own. The sheets on one of the beds in my room had blood spots on them, luckily I had two beds in the room and the other one was much better. I found 2 cockroaches in the bathroom, which I killed. There were splatters of something on the headboards and some of the walls, almost like dirty water splashed there when mopping. I had my room serviced once while I was there and all they do is re-make the beds with the same sheets and sweep the floor. Beach - This is why you go to Cuba, it's pristine. There's a long stretch that you can go on a nice walk on and there are NO vendors trying to peddle their wares. The red flag was up most of the time I was there but I was still able to enjoy the water. There are tons of sand fleas so make sure to bring repellent. As with many all inclusive beach destinations, make sure to get up early to save your beach chair both at the pool and on the beach! This is not a destination I would go back to, both the resort and Cuba.

Great Resort

This resort is great. A little dated and could use some paint but rooms very clean, Staff absolutely amazing. Good good. A few shortages like eggs but they made due. Advice to bring your own coffee pods(nespresso) Beach is so stunning, no rocks. Smooth white sand and turquoise water. We had so much fun, ate well drank lots and made new friends with people and staff.

Not very impressed

hotel was clean staff was wonderful not a safe place for people with disabilities or mobility issues bathtub was very deep difficult to get into grab bar was too low and it was loose toilet seats did not fit the toilets and were not tightened therefore sliding all over no food shortages but we both became very ill....food borne illness hot food was not kept hot enough thermometers should be used to ensure food is safe it was a waste of money i lost 2 days of a vacation because i was sick [... read more]/ Coffee was not hot

Doing the Best They Can.

This is the first resort my wife and I have been to in Cuba. It was about what we expected. The beach and ocean were beautiful and the staff were good. Everything else was just OK. The food is alright.

Not satisfied at all

Rooms are not cleaned lot of flies and mosquitos . Food not good flies over food Beaches are good . Pools are ok House keeping service poor Wifi connection bad You can't get nothing more for the money you paid

Amazing Beach!

The beach was simply stunning, with walkable sand and warm, calm water on most days. Aside from the occasional "shark warning" that required a quick exit from the water, it was a perfect beach experience. The hotel pool was also great, with a fun and lively afternoon atmosphere. While the hotel could benefit from some upgrades, it was generally acceptable. The food was decent unless you are a picky eater. There were occasional shortages, but they were not significant. However, the public bathroo [... read more]ms were often in poor condition, with the women's bathrooms frequently being "out of order" and lacking toilet paper. This 7-day all-inclusive vacation is priced at under $1000 and offers great value, especially for those just wanting to relax on the beach.

Great place to stay

The grounds and pool area are lovely. The beaches are gorgeous - bring bug spray with DEET. The room was incredibly clean and the room attendant (Heidi) was friendly and helpful. We opted for the butler service as well and Glendy Vidal, our butler, was extremely efficient and took care of our needs.

DO NOT STAY AT THIS RESORT!!!

Let me start by saying this is definitely not a 4.5 star resort. I have been to 3 star resorts in Cuba that were far more superior than the Sanctuary. I chose this resort to celebrate my wife’s 60th birthday based on the reviews and pictures on the website. I wonder if these reviewers stayed at the same resort! The rooms were in a very sad state. Nothing worked in the rooms. Sliding door would not close properly and lock. Toilette did not flush properly. Hardly any water pressure for showers. So [... read more]ap dish in shower falling off wall. Mirror hanging by a thread. I’ve seen better furniture in a homeless shelter. Towels were all stained and smelled terrible. Bed sheets were also stained. Even pillow cover was stained. I called front desk to ask for new pillow cover 4 times!!! Nobody came. Hallways and stairs were never cleaned while we were there. Sewage odour seemed to be present throughout the resort. Near our building and beside buffet. Workers constantly expecting tips. What most tourists don’t know is that the staff you are tipping does not get that money. The government collects all the tips. So think about that next time you tip. Food was typical Cuban fare. They really need to do something about the unsanitary and unsafe conditions in the buffet. All the food is outdoors and flies all over all the food. Plates, cutlery and glasses filthy. They should invest in dishwashers or train staff how to properly wash these items. Uncooked meats sitting in the heat at the two grills for too long. This buffet would fail an inspection on all fronts. . Building exteriors look like they have been through a war. They are so run down it makes the resort look sad. We were also surprised at the lack of good Cuban coffee like we have experienced in other resorts. Cappuccinos tastes like weak regular coffee. Espresso tasted like watered down coffee. I am second generation Italian and can honestly say the coffees we had at the Sanctuary were horrible. I was very disappointed. The beach is this resorts only positive it has going for it. This resort needs a lot of work before they can claim to be a 4.5 star hotel. I would never return to this resort and would not recommend it to anyone considering coming here for their next vacation. I hope you take my advice and stay away from this resort.

A disappointment place!

The place is not ready for welcoming guests. The lack of basic sanitation is unacceptable. Hotel Lobby toilets hardly have toilet paper, soaps for hand washing… 8 out of 10 times we found no toilet paper and no soap. Staff appeared showing less concern. The “run- down” conditions were seen everywhere, particularly in our room with dirty hallway ( spilling foods…), broken toilet cover, uncleaned floor, desk, door…, several hours with no running water, sewage smells….

Great place

We enjoyed our stay. Staff was very friendly. Rooms were a nice size and had everything you needed. We had a beautiful ocean view room. They keep the beach clean and you can always find a lounge chair. Drinks were great and plenty of food choices. Did end up with a few bug bites so if you are sensitive to them have bug spray. The grounds are very well kept and lush.

Really nice resort!!

Beach at this resort is stunning!! My husband and I had a great time. Room was very clean, food was good, staff is very friendly and helpful. With Sanctuary package you can go to two other resorts. We had a great time, i would go back ? Couple downsides: a bit far from the airport (2ish hrs) and not much entertainment.

Compassion must be in check - hard times in Cuba

In the past, my experience with Cubans has always been fantastic! A culture rich in kind, welcoming people who wanted to share who they were. This time, I felt how their reality affects their lives. They were tired, had difficulty engaging with people, and even among themselves, there was tension. Be prepared because the food is phew. I know Cuba and this time, it felt like it was the third world at the buffet. Even the eggs lacked presence, and the traditional fries. I don't know if it was just [... read more] my hotel (4.5 stars) or generalized but if you eat less meat than the others, it will be difficult. Bring what you can't live without. I've seen a lot of guests get pretty sharply corrected when trying to remember the name of their drink or using a Spanish word wrong :( The employee who worked at the bar of the main hotel acted with disrespect towards his female colleagues, I saw it on several occasions and the discomfort created was palpable amongst us. As for the rooms, ours had no hot water. We notified them for 3 days in a row and had to run to the staff to find out what the situation was, nobody knew and it took a lot of our time running around to fix it. We demanded a room change on the 3rd day, honestly, I felt like they didn't care much :( The water boys should knock at least 3 times before entering the room. It was just not happening. They slightly knock once (quickly), put the card in and enter the rooms in 2 sec, not enough time to actually figured it is indeed at your door. We were caught naked before we were even sure the knock was at our door. When we went to the reception, they suggested we put a chair at our door to prevent this from happening again. We had to consult with the other hotel reception to get a card (do not disturb), our hotel did not have them and had no interest in making our stay safe and comfortable apart from telling us to barricade ourselves once in the room. This is unacceptable. Over all, even though we were able to enjoy a few activities and a few good people/employees (the bar tender right beside the theater was amazing) at the resort, I feel that the general experience which was unpleasant largely colored our vacation. We will never go back for sure.

Wonderful 10 Days

Beach is beautiful, pool is beautiful, buffets were clean with plenty of food. Although, a lot more selection at Memories which is just a short walk or cart ride...recommend Memories buffet for dinner over Sanctuary. Awesome hot lunch sandwiches at pool and beach grills. Pizza grill location at both Memories and Sanctuary...very good pizza!!! Bugs were very bad this year (Nov2023) so bring your bug spray. Staff were wonderful and helpful. It was handy to have Butlers avail for questions, but [... read more] would be just as easy to go to the lobby. No airline reps at Sanctuary, anything you need from them, you have to go down to the Memories lobby....minor inconvenience. Overall, wonderful 10 days. Sanctuary is very peaceful being 18+. 1.5 - 2 hr ride from airport to hotel is scenic, but long compared to other Cuba locations.

Exceeded Oue Expectations!!

Travelled to Sanctuary with family in late November. resort is small and intimate with excellent staff service. Beach was spectacular- shallow clear warm water. Room was dated but very clean and hot water plentiful. Food selection was limited but good - fresh fish, beef, pork and chicken always available at lunch & dinner grilling stations. BBQ at beach grill was excellent! Standard cocktails were always available like sangria, pina coladas and Ron collins. Only downside was lack of live music [... read more] and evening entertainment at Sanctuary. Overall great value for under $1000 per person. Eight of us had wonderful time. Muchas gracias Sanctuary!!!

Sunshine in Cuba

We stayed in Sanctuary adult part of Memory Resort in Santa Maria; you couldn’t ask for better weather, ocean and cool silky sand ..oops the sand fleas were eating us alive and no amount of alcohol taken externally or ingested could help! the resort was fumigating grounds in the evening so we had no mosquitoes or flies.. everyone always talks about food how scarce it is or tasteless it is but I found it palatable and surprised at the choices of fish mussels chicken pork little steaks on daily  [... read more]bases.. there were some fruit and vegetables but very limited.. staff at the resort super nice and trying to be accommodating but with limited resources the place is totally rundown with shabby rooms, uncomfortable beds,doors that don’t lock properly, bathrooms that are grungy! Loved the spirit of entertainers but hardly any shows and of course constant misinformation Lt hand doesn’t know what the rt is doing …

Nice resort but needs a clean-up

I cannot say more about the staff. Wonderful, friendly, helpful. I was at this resort in March, 2023 and returned this November 2023 as I enjoyed it so much. Disappointed this time. My husband and I changed rooms 3 times during our stay. First room our door was busted with an actual hole in the door/lock. The second no A/C after power came back after 2 hours. 3rd room was perfect. Garbage left around the buildings, not picked up by landscapers.

Relaxing Vacation at a 3* - Oct 17 - 25, 2023

The hotel was what we expected for Cuba and for the price it was a good deal (under $1,300 for 2) Overall, needs some TLC. Room: Clean, hot water and good water pressure. Damp but expected during the rainy months. Fridge did not get filled except for a water bottle. No robe as stated on website (not a big deal). No alcohol in room as stated on website (again no big deal). We asked to move rooms for a better view and they were very accommodating. Front desk: Helpful with any questions and wifi  [... read more](need to get wifi password and log in everyday). Public bathrooms: Clean but no toilet paper ever (bring your own) Lobby: Not grand, very small and underwhelming. Buffet: Only had buffet for breakfast. Lunch was al a carte and dinner required reservations or walk over to Grand Memories for buffet. Snacks: only saw pizza and chicken sandwiches at the beach and at the pool. Pool: Clean, nice that we had the choice of two pools - one with the pool bar and one without. Music was loud and mostly played hard rock music. Beach: Beautiful Food: We didn't starve. Not a lot of variety but we found something each day at Grand Memories buffet (fresh grilled chicken, pork and fish - no beef). Ran out of eggs a couple of times. Fruit was limited. Drinks: White wine was good. Ran out of beer a couple of days. Spanish coffee at the lobby - very good. Mixed drinks were very sweet and they only had diet coke. Lots of bottled water available. People: Everyone was very friendly we had no issues. Please remember the gardeners they work so hard and get no tips or gifts. I would recommend the Sanctuary if you are getting a good deal and know what to expect when travelling to Cuba. From what I saw it is in much better shape then the Grand Memories except for the buffet. Bus ride from airport to hotel is almost 2 hours (something to consider) and for that reason would probably not return....makes for a very long day.