Excellent quiet luxurious resort

Excellent quiet luxurious resort would recommend to everyone the food was excellent the resort is immaculate and most important staff where is superb helpful they went out of their way to make sure we enjoyed our stay the beach is a fabulous safe I can’t say anymore about a good time we had

Fantastic Holiday

Melia Buenavista is a fantastic resort to relax and enjoy quality time doing whatever. The staff work extra hard and go above expectation to ensure your stay is memorable. The location of this resort is beautiful with an east beach to enjoy a sunrise, a cove beach to enjoy snorkelling and a west beach to enjoy a sunset. The entertainment in the evening is of high quality. I would recommend this resort and will be returning.

Still beautiful as ever

Once again our stay at Melia Buenavista was amazing! This was our 4th time here and glad we decided to visit again this year. Everywhere is clean, people are very friendly and food was great! The last 3 visits the food was not the best as we would always go to other resorts for dinner but this time we didn't want to eat anywhere else. The food quality increased 100% and that makes a big difference. The morning buffet has changed since our first visit as it used to serve hot and cold food but [... read more] now offers food from a menu as well as a variety of fruits, meats, etc. We keep coming back because of the location, the friends we have made and the overall atmosphere. It was great seeing our friends Lester, Ornesis, Lewis, De La Torre and many many more and our new friends Joan and Armando who were our butlers this time. There are a few things that need to be addressed at the front desk when first checking in ... you really don't know what to do or who to see if this is your first time there. Even with it being our 4th visit it wasn't a smooth start with interruptions while checking in, told checked in but we weren't given our key to go to our room right away and when we did meet our butler he was asked to take another couple that checked in after us then when he did come back he was taken away again...it took well over 30 minutes of waiting just to get heading to our room. This needs to be a lot smoother and much friendlier greetings and needing to acknowledge people standing people waiting in lobby area and need to understand and speak English better when at the front desk. Other issue was after the second day the coffee and juice in the room was not replaced daily and we had to ask at least 3 times over the next 2 days to get coffee. I do like the idea that they now include a kettle and definitely will bring tea bags next time to enjoy on the balcony. They also have an amazing spa with a cool water Jacuzzi, steam room and sauna and lots of treatments to try!! Yes there are imperfections all over the resort but the friendly staff and beautiful location helps make up for all the little cracks, paint chips, etc. Overall it is a beautiful peaceful resort that offers you many beaches to relax and enjoy being in Cuba. My husband and I enjoy visiting and will be back again next I'm sure! If you like not rushing to grab a spot at the pool or the beach and enjoying the atmosphere this is for you.

Nice place!

Great resort with white sand beaches and reefs close by for snorkeling on calm days. Watching sunsets to the tune of live music and sipping a sparkling wine is a nice idea. Live music for an evening entertainment provides a perfect end to a relaxing day. Good service at the pool and beaches. Some activities are offered for the ones interested. Resort is fairly small and well kept. Restaurants/bars provide adequate selection of tasty food and good selection of alcoholic drinks. Rooms are cleaned  [... read more]twice a day and outdoor showers add a nice touch. The only negatives we experienced are sand fleas bites on calm days and lack of some dishes from the menu at a la carte restaurants. Over all a great adults only resort for relaxing vacation.

Great vacation

Wonderful relaxing place. Three different beaches. The main one could be very wavy on some days, but was the best place to see beautiful sunrises, the middle one was calmer, while at the west beach there were hardly any wrinkles on the water. Sunset ceremony at the west beach was beautiful every day. Food was good, fresh fruits were available at breakfast and lunch - pineapple, grapefruit, papaya, guava, watermelon, cantaloupe, apples, star fruits. Room was huge, cleaned twice daily, outdoor sho [... read more]wer was a blast. Service was outstanding throughout the resort, everybody did their best to make our vacation a memorable one.

Hidden Gem - Indeed

Hubby & I spent one week at Melia Buenavista early May. Is advertised as a "hidden gem", and it is. Staff are very friendly, helpful, attentive & prompt. Grounds are well kept & attractive. Our suite on the second floor with view of the middle (of the 3 beaches), was beautiful and clean, without any musty smells one often encounters in hot climates. Water pressure was very good also and it had a working safe in the walk-in closet. Beaches to die for! The main one goes on forever, along the [... read more] turquoise water with beautiful fish and pelicans. Restaurants (two) plus breakfast & lunch buffet/restaurant served nice portioned (not too big) delicately flavoured meals. Good variety of fruits, cheese, cold meats and fish. Musical entertainment at the bar every evening. Would have liked some additional form of entertainment/show, pool tables and somewhere to dance, however, realize it is a small resort. Also, the drive from the airport is 1 1/2 hours long, and goes through wonderful landscapes, but also through small towns and communities that clearly show the poverty that is everywhere in this country. :-( But overall, a very good and relaxing vacation.

Great resort, however...

This was our second visit. Even though there was hurricane devastation very little could be found on this resort. It was immaculate and most eveything was as it was before. Tennis was still shut down. Most exercise equipment was damaged. We were there during the week that the Melia President was there. Food and services seemed to improve significantly once the Melia President announced his arrival.

Three different Beaches

From April 5 to the 15 we stayed at this wonderful resort, small in size , just over a 100 rooms, 3/4 of them have ocean views, the others face a wondering pool. Three restaurant all enclosed so no problems with birds, good to great meals, far above the usual Cuban offerings. Larger rooms well cleaned twice a day, we had room 321 with a balcony that looks out over the west beach.Sandra our maid was wonderful. She was training another maid who also did a great job.The room comes with an outdoor [... read more] shower as well as an inside jet tub. A young Cuban man (Javier)was the acting manager when we were at the resort and was doing a great job. We had two butler's (Joel and Lilly)both doing a wonderful job.We met the chef (Sandra)at the breakfast restaurant early in our stay and she could not do enough for us, making special meals for us for lunch on a regular basis.She was supported by a number of great wait staff.(Marie and Anais and many others whose names escape us) The lobby is small compared to most lobbies but does have free wifi. The lobby bar was well staffed with talented bartenders .The new bar and food manager (Rafael) was working on adding more brands to the bar stock. The main pool has a bar and a snack shack that amoung other things has great pizza chefs. The pool staff are always around and if you are wishing to try something they are always there to help. A big hands up to Levon and Dany. The middle beach is used for snorkeling as it is well protected and has lots of coral.the pool guy (Dany)will take you out for a lesson. The main beach is a long beach that travels the length of the Cayo so you can walk for miles.All beaches have bar service. Entertainment takes place after dinner outside the lobby bar on a large patio, mostly good Cuban bands.Sorry if we forgot any names.

A quiet hotel with a great service

We enjoyed this hotel with great service. The room was a good size with a sunset view of the ocean. The beaches were lovely. The pizza at the poolside was excellent. It’s on the quiet side as it’s not a huge hotel. A few cons: they ran out of towels on one day and our AC was not the greatest.

Great Staff ! Nice Resort! Very Chill Vibe !

This resort has lovely and helpful staff. The rooms are very large and the beds are very comfy. The outdoor shower is a fun touch ! Bar service is exceptional especially Lester !! If Joel is your Butler, then you are in great hands ! No rush to reserve beach chairs, lots of areas to hang out . Very windy every day, and lots of waves, not many snorkeling opportunities. Food is limited, but for the most part delicious. The vibe is VERY low key. Many older European travelers. Great  [... read more]place to go to just check out from life, read books, laze around and chill. Bus ride is 1 hour and 45 min from the airport. Would we go back? Probably.....

The oasis of peace and cordiality

The hotel staff had the greatest impact on us feeling taken care off and welcomed. The object heavily affected by hurricane has grown back into the well maintained new gardens renewed roofs, and freshly painted walls. Congratulations for the good work in recovery and keeping the big warm heart open for the gests.

It was great - very quite and relaxing resort

friendly staff, attentive, very clean rooms, spacious. well maintained by staff each day. beautiful pool and facilities. would like to open the doors in the room but without screen doors it is very hard as mosquitoes get in. should have screendoors. should also have a 'do not disturb' sign that can be used. many staff members knocked at the door while we were in the room and we felt we could never have our privacy because we never knew when they would knock or come in. a 'do not disturb ' s [... read more]ign should be given to all guests.

Very Good

Overall the hotel was very good and staff very accommodating. We were aware there was only two choices for dining in the evening. I would put the food in category of good with the fish being the standout. The lunch time pool pizza and BBQ was very good , only issue they sometimes had issues getting a few of the toppings.

Relaxing resort

Attentive staff, beautiful beaches and great room. We were looking for a laid back, relax atmosphere which was achieved. We would recommend this resort to couples wanting to recharge their batteries!

Fantastic Resort

This is our second time staying at the Melia Buenavista. This is an amazing all inclusive adults only resort. The staff are friendly and accommodating and the food has improved a lot. The atmosphere is serene, relaxing, and calm beyond repair.

Another fabulous week

This was our third visit to this beautiful all adult resort and again it did not disappoint. This is a small quiet all inclusive resort with about 120 rooms. It is about a 90 minute bus ride from the airport across the causeway to the hotel. There are 3 restaurants that are off menu, no overloaded buffet here! The service is second to none, the staff from the gardeners to the front desk, the pool bar and BBQ to the room butlers are professional, courteous friendly and welcoming. I reall [... read more]y enjoyed the brick oven pizza prepared by Yosvany at the BBQ by the pool, they also make great hamburgs and hotdogs. Breakfast at the beach restaurant was lovely and our waiter Fernando did a wonderful job. Lester, Osmany and Orestes mixed the best drinks at the pool bar and Livan was there to to make sure you were comfortable as you enjoyed the pool and the loungers. Adianez made sure our room was clean and stocked everyday, and always had a nice word when we saw her or she left us notes if we missed her. Gerardo was our butler for the week and he checked with us everyday to make our dinner plans and to make sure we had everything we needed. The resort is well taken care of, well maintained and very very clean. I was impressed with the level of cleanliness in all areas, public washrooms were spotless, the restaurants all were very clean, the lobby, the bars all well maintained. You can use the services at the two other Melia resorts down the road, there is a bus that runs from 10am to 11pm, running every hour on the hour between them. The other resorts are larger and have more families staying there so you do appreciate the serenity and calm you experience when you return to the Buenavista. The suites are very large and include a sitting area, with a coffee machine bar fridge and a supply of wine glasses and beer glasses, a walk in closet, safe, hair dryer, iron, magnifying mirror, robes and slippers. The bathroom has a large jacuzzi tub and this is the best part, an outdoor shower, loved it. There was no shortage of hot water or water pressure. The food I really enjoyed. Remember this is Cuba not everything is available at hand the way it is here in Canada. The breakfast is very good, make sure you let the servers know how you want something prepared, like a six minute egg and they will ensure that is what you get, if you like your bacon crispy, just ask for it! Coffee is good, they make a great latte, wine is also respectable, most from Spain, but a few from Italy as well. Make sure you ask for the coupon package when you arrive, great deals for the spa and on bottled wine and other off menu drinks. Internet is available at the lobby and we actually got access a few time in our room. They provide you with an internet card good for 1 hour of use, they will give you more cards as you use them, just ask at the front desk. If you exchange money to CUC's do it at the hotel, they have a better rate then the airport. The beach, actually 3 different beaches on the property are all amazing, the small cove is surrounded by rock and the snorkelling is fabulous. The larger beach have shaded loungers and the water is shallow for quite a way out and it is crystal clear. I would recommend this resort to those couples who are looking for a relaxing, pampered vacation. There is some nightly entertainment but more musical as opposed to the "shows" that other resorts have.

Horrible experience

Everything was bad from the beginning and on the second day we've moved to Royalton Cayo Santa Maria, which was perfect. Now, let's list some of the bad experiences we had at the Melia Buenavista: - After 2 hours on the bus, we weren't offered an welcome drink and a cool towel. - We were assigned a junior suite even if we paid for the "romance ocean view". We complained and they changed the room to one with a bad view of dirty rocks. - We had the dinner in a restaurant with no table cloth,  [... read more]only plastic place mats, we had to ask 3 times for napkins, we couldn't get cocktails from the server and when my husband went to the bar to get them, the server told us that we are not allowed to do that. - The breakfast was the same bad. The omelet was plain, the crepes were thick, burned, full of oil and syrup and nothing else. We asked for cappuccino which was on the menu and they said the machine is broken. I said "OK, regular coffee is fine", but the coffee never arrived. - For lunch we decided to try the pizza by the pool, but no luck here either. I eat only veggie pizza, but the only veggie they had were some pickled peppers, olives and mushrooms from the can. A fly got stuck in the pizza sauce and the cook just picked it up and continued with the pizza. - They have 3 beaches, but none is great. The sand is rough on 2 of them and the middle beach has a better sand, but the water is full of plants. - The mosquitoes are eating you alive and the shower on the balcony is unusable because of them. We've been to dozens of all inclusive resorts and never had any bad experience. And the funny part is that this resort was the most expensive one by a lot.

Best resort in Cuba!

Everything about Melia Buenavista is exceptional. It's a smaller luxury resort that has everything covered. No extra charges at all unless you buy extra spa treatments or a few other packages but they are very clear. The food is above par for Cuba and room service is amazing. The staff is absolutely what makes this place. They go above and beyond at all times. Our butler was Ramone, and he was the nicest, most helpful person you could imagine. He took care of everything and answered any and all  [... read more]questions we had. When we arrived Ramone was our butler, when we left he was my brother. Amazing experience from beginning to end. I only wish we could have stayed longer.

Excellent!!! Real Paradise!!!!

Beautiful resort, great people, great location - a little windy there from the Atlantic exposure, but in overall a great place to rest if you are looking for a quite and peaceful place. Food is excellent quality and plenty. The only down turn is the lack of the traditional buffet. All 3 restaurants are al 'carte there, so if you don't mind wasting your time in waiting for your food each day at the restaurant then you should be fine with that. Also in addition there is an excellent grill/pizza pl [... read more]ace at the main pool area, which gets the most popularity there and it is open from 12:30 to 5:30 every day. We spent there the week from April 14-21st and we had an amaizing time there.

Beautiful Resort

Love this resort been there 3 times already planning our next visit. The staff are amazing and the resort is beautiful. The food is really good my favorite is the lunch bbq. Best Mojitoes you will ever have made by the best bartenders Lester/Orestes and Osmany. I would very highly recommend this resort.