Melia Cayo Santa Maria: Amazing Beach and Pool!

The resort has some very nice qualities and some very poor ones as well. THE GOOD: - Awesome beach! Seriously probably the most beautiful beach I have ever seen in real life. Clean and debris free. You do have to get there and put your towel down by 5:30am (for real) if you want some loungers. I tried at 7am our first day and was told by the gentlemen working down there that I was too late... -There are 2 large pools side by side. Clean and a really nice temperature. We would go down around 9am [... read more] and always found some loungers no problems. - Smaller resort - quick and easy to get around to everything. -The beach grill for lunch ( get there around 12:30 and line up with your plate), it is totally worth it- the best food we ate all week). -The waiter around the pool (didn't get his name) but he was fantastic. He would walk around the entire pool area and take everyone's drink order about once an hour. He would even take your bubba mugs up and have it refilled. - There's a nice little market, about a 2 minute walk, between Melia Cayo Santa Maria and Melia Las Dunas resort. It is different everyday and has all the little Cuban knick knack souvenirs you may want to buy. Just an FYI - the prices of the rum and cigars are the same price there as they are in the resort gift shop and the airport. There is another, larger market close by. It gets extremely hot there so I would suggest going around 9am when it opens. The prices were about the same as the little market by our hotel . It was nice to get out and do some exploring. You can either take the double decker bus that stops by all the hotels or take a cab. Both cost $2 pesos each person each way. Just remember that the bus runs on "Cuban Time". THE BAD: -Had trouble finding anything that was really good on the buffet. It was the same selection at every meal. It got picked over fast and wasn't refilled. The breakfast was decent, but you had to wait in line for an omelette/fried egg/pancakes. You definitely have to do this if you wanted to enjoy your breakfast. Even the a la cartes we just so-so, but the Japanese was probably the best of the bunch. -This resort also has no night life. Some nights had a show, others did not. And the nights that did, the show was lame. -Service at the lobby bar was a hit or a miss. Some nights we had not a problem getting a drink or nights we would stand at the bar waiting and waiting. The bartenders totally ignoring us. - The room was average. We were warned by the Air Transat rep. at our orientation, that there was an issue with the water temp and pressure but it was getting fixed as we spoke. We did not have too much of an issue with that. We did have an issue with the shower head though, first shower taken- the shower head fell off and smashed into pieces in the tub. Completely broken. We were told if we had an issues like that to call 700. We did and within 1/2 hr a maintenance man came and replaced it. We were shocked to say the least. We had also been warned that everything was on "Cuban Time" and not to get too upset when things were delayed so to say the least, we were very impressed. The patio door was also broken. It locked but had a gap at the bottom, about 1/2" wide that let bugs and spiders in. We found a tarantula size spider in our room. Twice. Overall the resort is decent. The main downfall is the food, which is a pretty big problem unfortunately, but because of the amazing beach and pool I would probably return. Just remember to call 700 in your room if you had any issues, this is how they get resolved. Another tip, if you want certain pops or beers in your mini fridge, leave them a note saying what you want and how many of each ( and leave a peso or two) and they will gladly fill your request everyday. This not done by the maid, it a separate department that come later in the day.

Melia Caribe Beach Resort: Beautiful Resort

The hotel was beautiful. The grounds were amazing, so clean and well maintained. The food was great, especially the selection of restaurants that you could go to without having to make a reservation. There were a few days that on return to the room from being at the beach all day, the room was still not cleaned. We had a few days where we just asked for clean towels. (Would have preferred the room cleaned). Other than that happy with our stay.

Paradisus Princesa Del Mar: Excellent Resort

We traveled to Princess Del Mar Cuba March 19/2015 until 26/2015. We took my Mother-in-Law who is the early stages of Alzheimer's. We stayed in the Royal Service and could not be happier with our decision to stay at this resort. Everything was perfect. The grounds, pool area were very well kept. We never had a problem finding a place to sit around the pool or on the beach. The beach area is so close with very easy access. the beach area was fantastic. The service was second to none. Everyone was [... read more] very helpful, warm and welcoming. A special thanks to our butler "Pablo." He really went out of his way to address any questions, issues or things we needed. His English was very good. Also "Marlien" who looked after our room. We stayed in rooms 7231/7232 and she did an excelled job. She was very friendly and spoke quite good English as well. As I mentioned, all staff during our stay was very friendly. The ladies on the front deck always had a smile and dropped whatever they were doing when we approached. I don't know why people complain about the food in Cuba. We have traveled elsewhere in the South and the food here was just as good as anywhere. You just can't beat the Cuba people though. We look forward to coming back again in Sept or Oct. If not, we will be for sure traveling in the winter of 2016!!

Melia Caribe Beach Resort: Best vacation ever

The pool with the swim up bar was great. I participated in activities that were put on by the staff. The beach was nice. Spent a whole day playing each volleyball. Everything and everywhere on the resort was clean. The food choice was really good. The staff were very kind and helpful. Great choice of excursions. My group did the catamaran cruise and it was one of the best day we had there. Definitely a resort I would and have already recommended.

Sol Cayo Coco: Relaxing vacation

Beautiful resort with very friendly staff. Very clean rooms and grounds. Bed mattresses could be a little more comfortable, but this is Cuba and was expected. Lots of food choices at the buffet, you will not be bored. A la carte restaurants were amazing. Make sure you try them. Fantastic location with two beach areas. One more calm with a longer walk to deep water the other more wavy and with a short deep entrance.

Melia Caribe Beach Resort: Too Big

We stayed in the adults only section. The resort was too large for our liking. We went to two restaurants and one had no ravioli and another no mushrooms to go with my steak. Service was ok. I think you get better service in smaller resorts. The room was ok. Food was fine. In the family area there was a huge buffet, but it was very busy and noisy as was the rest of the main lobby area which was the family area of the resort. The resorts grounds were well kept, the pool was very nice.

Melia Las Dunas: Another Great Stay!

This was our 3rd trip to the Melia Las Dunas. They treated us so well the first time we had to go back again. We emailed ahead to let them know that we were returning with our family as well. They went above and beyond to make sure that our families were well looked after and showed us all a great time. The food is very good (especially for what you would typically get in Cuba). The grounds are kept up meticulously and everyone who is working to keep them beautiful are very friendly and greet yo [... read more]u with a smile every morning. They always seem to have a fun gift for the ladies as they head for breakfast (a flower, a little grasshopper made from a leaf, etc). The housekeeping staff were excellent as well! The entire experience was absolutely wonderful! We're looking forward to coming back to this resort again very soon!

Sol Palmeras: Wonderful resort for families/

The staff at the reception. house-keeping and the main restaurant were fabulous! There were some minor difficulties at one of the a la carte restaurants when trying to seat a family of 9 people together at one large table. Great facilities for youngsters. The grounds maintenance seemed to be of lower priority, particularly around the bungalows.

Melia Peninsula Varadero: Great all-inclusive

This was my first all-inclusive and I was so thankful it was a good choice. Food was excellent- lots of choice at every meal. Sometimes an issue to fins seating during peak meals times. More choice/time availability for A La Carte Restaurants would have been nice as not all guests were able to reserve the number they paid for. Room was ok- our location wasn't ideal (by the kid pool), but we were comfortable. Resort is beautiful- buildings, gardens etc. they are under-going some renovations (patc [... read more]hes of dirt and some outdoor lagoons that are empty) but this wasn't an issue or inconvenience for our stay at all. Service was ok; we found tipping didn't make a difference in the speed or quality of service which was disappointing, but everyone was helpful and friendly. The beach is beautiful-lots of chairs available- definitely the best part.

Melia Jardines del Rey: Beautiful resort

A beautiful new resort. The staff go all out to make your stay as enjoyable as possible. If we needed anything in our room it was delivered very quickly and the staff followed up to make sure our needs were met. It is a big resort but well laid out. It was great to walk to different areas and wear off some of the delicious meals. If one does not want to walk then there are always staff along the routes to pick you up in their carts. The restaurants were nice and had great ambiance but we enjoyed [... read more] the food in the buffet more! The beach was beautiful, it was rocky in some areas but with water shoes we managed just fine. I have been to nicer beaches but it was still enjoyable. The nightly entertainment was very good and I would highly recommend the Michael Jackson show and the Pool Party show. The all day excursion to the mainland was a lot of fun and included many different activities, it was well worth the price of the excursion and our tour guide was excellent. The catamaran trip was ok but I would not recommend it. All in all I was very impressed with the staff whether it be at the check in counter, the buffet dining area, the pool bar and maid service. Although parts of the resort are still under construction it did not affect our stay as it is fenced off. It will be much bigger once that construction is finished so I am glad I went now before it gets too big and thus more people. The only complaint is that guests get up early and reserve "their" beach chairs and beach beds....I do not think this is fair to other guests but I don't see how that can be stopped. I feel so fortunate to have had wonderful staff who were so helpful and addressed my concerns in a friendly, timely fashion. Beautiful smiling staff, delicious food, great entertainment...all contributed to a wonderful vacation!!

Paradisus Punta Cana: Great Holiday!

Wonderful vacation! Very clean, well kept resort. Service was amazing, friendly staff. Food was way better than expected and readily available. Reservations were difficult to get in a few restaurants so we settled for the buffet and discovered how fabulous the food was there too! Rooms were a bit out dated, but tons of light and close to everything. Not a lot of activities so a holiday for pure relaxation.

Sol Cayo Santa Maria: Great Price

For a last minute trip it was a great price and everything was great, as long as you remember it is not a 5 star resort. Food was decent, beach was amazing, but very windy. If you want a 5 star experience go to a 5 star resort. You get what you pay for.

Melia Buenavista: beautiful, peaceful and quiet resort

exactly what we were wanting at this point in our lives. Beautiful location with 3 beaches of varying character bordering a mangrove estuary with lots of birds and coral outcrops right off one of the beaches that offered great snorkelling. The EAST beach was often windy with high waves but safe which gave you fun waves to play in and the NORTH beach had coral outcrops and shallow waters that were teaming with curious fish and the WEST beach offering shallow waters to wade through rimmed by mangr [... read more]ove trees. You were never left without a beach chair no matter what beach you were at! The suites were beautiful with their exterior BALINESE shower that allowed us to open front and rear doors to let the cool March wind move through the suit. The grounds were impeccably kept, pool areas quiet and sparsely occupied. The bars were staffed by wonderful, courteous and attentive people who were eager to serve you and make sure everything was to your liking. The butler service was good but we never seemed to get the butler who was originally assigned to us as we were never sure what days he was on or off but the service was not diminished. We always got what we wanted when we needed. The restaurants I would rate as average in food quality, much better than most buffets but this was only the quality and variety of the food, beef being not very high quality but well prepared however the service was excellent. There should be a full time salad bar as salads seemed to be very limited with supper meals. LOS MARINOS offered great lunch salads but that was it and it was the buffet restaurant for breakfast which was excellent and had a toaster that was rarely occupied! The LOS CARIEBES and NAVIGANTES repeated their menus which on a stay of 10 days or more would be an issue. MELIA has the right idea with this and certainly there is a niche for these types of exclusive hotels that would cater more to people looking for a more peaceful experience. We're not butler people and there might be a choice for that as room service seem to be quite efficient. Cuba can do 5 star very well and Melia Buenavista attests to that. Touché MELIA BUENAVISTA and HASTA LA PROXIMA! Adios

Melia Caribe Beach Resort: Amazing resort -loved it!

Really beautiful property, grounds kept immaculate. Peacocks are really neat to see. Beach and pool area -fun area and huts on beach are wonderful to hide under from the sun for awhile. We enjoyed food immensely, both buffet and a la carte restaurants.

Melia Caribe Beach Resort: Exceeded all expectations!

Stayed as a couple the week of March 9, 2015. Pleasantly surprised at how beautiful resort was. Upgraded our room and process was a little challenging but got to the room only to find our luggage was mixed up with someone else's. Sarah helped rectify the problem and we got our luggage no harm done. The staff were friendly and we didn't want for anything the entire week. The beech was amazing ( no seaweed ) and plenty of chairs and shade was never hard to find. The food was great. If your vegetar [... read more]ian your in luck. So many options it was ridiculous. Food was hot and very tasty and the wine was decent. Did the dune buggy excursion and it was nice to see the country side but be prepared to be approached at every stop by the locals trying to sell you there goods. We had a fabulous holiday and can't wait to go back. No more Mexico for these kids!!

Melia Caribe Beach Resort: Melia Caribe Tropical

We stayed at the Melia Caribe Tropical. The rooms were very nice, the grounds were well kept. The sewer system takes getting used to as flushing is a multiple time experience. It took us 3 days out of our 7 day vacation to finally not get lost. we suggested that the walkways be better marked to and from the beach so that people could find their way back to their rooms easier. The food was excellent, the staff were friendly and very courteous. Tips were not expected but appreciated. the coffee wa [... read more]s fantastic. The beach was weedy but the staff worked diligently to get it cleaned up. this process does not happen in a day but over a few days. Kudos to the workers. the water was warm and you can swim with the fish just off the beach. Would we go back. You bet. very very nice.

Melia Marina Varadero: Relaxing, fun, a good time!

We were pleased with the resort. Our room was very clean, and well kept. The staff were friendly, helpful and welcoming. The beach was beautiful and clean. The pool area was beautiful. Daily/nightly entertainment were excellent. The food was good, we especially enjoyed the inclusive a la cart restaurants. We would definitely visit this resort again. Wifi worked occasionally, and was NOT free :( This did not hinder our trip though, as it was nice to get away from the digital world for a week.

Starfish Cayo Largo: On a beautiful isolated island

Because of its beautiful beaches and amazing friendly local staff, is the reason I've been going back for several years. Unfortunately, the variety of food and the night shows have been declining year after years.

Melia Cayo Santa Maria: really liked the size..beautiful grounds

very good nightly entertainment..specality restaurants good...buffet food ok ... spa services excellent but the 20% off was only for massages..I booked a facial and it wasn't included..on arrival at 4am there was no drinking water or pop..we called but didn't get any..and there was hot water for showering or washing only ONE day..the day before we left..very grateful for the beautiful weather ,water and people

Melia Las Dunas: Great Family Resort

Very clean, well managed property. Cant think of one thing to complain about. The staff were friendly and accommodating, the food & beverage service and quality were very good, lots of options and the entertainment team did did a nice job. I was travelling alone with my teenage daughter and the resort was very safe. Landscaping is lovely on the property and the beach is spectacular. Was a fantastic week and I would highly recommend this property. The only note to mention is that internet service [... read more] is non-existent most of the time.