One of the best Cuban resort

They say that the best things come in small packages. It's true. A little jewel wonderful and attentive staff waiting for the guests to arrive and pamper them. Thank you for a great experience , will be back.

Viva Melia!

My wife an I stayed at this resort from March 14-2, 2017. We have stayed in Cuba 5 or 6 times and have traveled to various other countries throughout the Caribbean. The cuban people are very friendly and accommodating. The food is always substandard and sadly we have come to expect it. We stayed at the VERY BIG and nosey Melia Las Dunas 6 years ago. We said at that time that we wouldn't return to Cuba. After some research on Tripadvisor we decided to try again and stayed at the 5 star Melia Buen [... read more]avista. Grab a glass a wine and read on to the end. Our only real complaint was with SUNWING. Our travel agent, Robyn Murray, at Trip Central was great. Answered all our questions and made booking a breeze. I highly recommend her and we will be looking for here services in the future. SUNWING Clean airplane with friendly onboard staff. This airline is all about selling excursions. The biggest complaint was seating. You can not preselect your seat unless you're willing to pay from $20 to $50!! We asked our travel agent about this and was told that we can wait until we got to the airport and select it for free. We did. We found out that if you are not willing to pay online you and your spouse or other travel companions probably won't get to sit together. Luckily, (because we arrived so early at the Halifax airport and beat the crowd) we managed to get seats together on the way to Cuba. On our return flight the Sunwing airport agent was not so willing to put us together without paying $25 each! Despite being at the front of the line. This is absolutely ridiculous and an obvious low sales ploy. After arguing for 10 minutes with a rude SUNGWING agent from Cuba. I relented and bought the ElitePlus $25 seats. All it included was the seats next to each other. Because of this we will NEVER use SUNWING again. After 35 years of flying all over the world I never had to pay extra to have my spouse sit next to me! Complete BS Sunning. Shame on you. Ok, now that that is off my chest let's get into the fun of it. AIPRORT to RESORT TRANSPORT The 90 minute bus ride was fun. Cash bar (cold beer) onboard with a energetic tour guide named Wally. FYI: Beers outside the airport are 5 pesos for three selection and pop/soda for two and one the bus they were 6 pesos for two beer (Crystal). Either way we all started our vacation with cold Cuban beers! Cheers! Unfortunately there are no toilet onboard the bus. They really need to get buses with toilets instead of stopping on the side of the road so people can relieve themselves. CHECKIN and BUTLER SERVICE Upon arrival at our resort we checked in with ease. Unlike other resorts were you waited in long lines, we walked in and were handed our room keys and information package. Our butler, Raymond, despite his lack of good english, was very professional, charming and attentive. He escorted us on a tour of the resort so we could have our bearings while greeting us with a cool glass of champagne. He was our butler for half the week sharing his off days with Belkis. Likewise, she was very charming, professional and had excellent English. Both of these sweet and hard working people went of of their way to check in with us everyday, book our reservations at the restaurants and always stopped to make certain we were enjoying ourselves. We were pleasantly surprised by some of the perks our sweet butlers provided including (but not limited to) the beautiful drawn bath with champagne on ice waiting for us upon our return to our room after a long day in the sun. 5 stars to our awesome butlers. Thank you so much for taking care of us. You helped make our experience awesome. THE MAIDS Our maids Janiay and Nuriely (I hope I spelt their names correctly) - both day and night maids were fantastic. The room was kept spotless. I discovered a broken bath head and before I had time to report it a repairman showed up and fixed it thanks for the maid. The lovely towel animals were amazing. We always looked forward to what creation was going to meet us. It gave us a smile everytime. Fresh towels everyday. The mini bar was keep full by a attentive staff member as well. We never had to asked for any brewages in our room. The coffee was delicious! THE ROOM WOW!! Gorgeous room. The best in all our travels. Outdoors shower was a nice treat. Nice lounging area to sit, read and relax. Patio off the pool with wooden chairs, table and build in sofa. Jacuzzi bath. Bidet included in the toilet for the ladies. Safe in the walking closet. Everything worked and was like new. POOL, BBQ and BEACH The pool bar staff were always fun. Lester, Laily, Osmany, Orestes were absolutely the most attentive bar staff anywhere. At 5 start resort should have bigger plastic glasses than those small cheap ones used elsewhere. The BBQ served up hamburgers, hotdogs pizza and skewers. Most of the time the hamburgers are under cooked despite asking to cook them well done. They have to work on that one. A huge thank you to Levon and Peter at the pool who reserved our cabana beds at the pool everyday. Levon is a great guy who I enjoyed talking to every morning. He works very hard and is very observant to everyone's needs at the pool. When we went to the beach he would clean off the chair and place our towel down nicely. Pedro and Peter were also very attentive at the beach. We had no complaints at all with these fine staff. Thank you as well to Dany for the Spanish lessons and lending me his personal mask and snorkel. I've forgotten the Aqua exercise guy who is a great dancer, DJ and morning doorman at the beach restaurant. We played a fun round of volleyball with him and a man from Bulgaria. I hate that I have forgotten his name but he was great. Every night we were treated to champagne and either a soloist playing the violin or saxophone at sunset on the beach. 5 star class! FOOD There are three restaurants at this resort. The morning restaurant is also open for lunch. This is also advertised as the resorts buffet. It misleading considering the buffet selection is extremely limited to some fruit, yogurt, pickles, beats, juice and snacks. There are two El la Carte restaurants. One had a different theme each night and the other seafood. If there has been anything we found out in our travels to Cuba, stick to what you know. We ate 5 nights at the seafood location. The spiny lobster and salmon were good. The beef was terrible and undercooked. All the restaurant staff at all three locations were very attentive and friendly. Cuba really needs to import better Chiefs from other countries. With everything else thats great about a Cuban vacation the food is way below par of everywhere else. Its the one thing that everyone talks about. Having a saying like "you don't go to Cuba for its food" is an unfortunate thing that has to change. Bad food takes a 5 star to a 2 star in one bite. If you have a weak stomach or you're a delicate eater, Cuba is not for you. Sorry Melia Hotels, but that's the sad truth. Bring snacks like granola bars, Pringles or gummy bears. The price you're paying is not for good food. :-( SNORKLING Unfortunately, we had high winds for most of the week. That's not a resorts fault. The day I did get out, it was well worth the wait. Beautiful underwater treasure awaits. Some on TripAdvisor say the snorkelling is better than the Great Barrier Reef, well I've been to the GBR and the snorkelling at this resort isn't as great as Australia, but it was right up there in its wonderment. Bring your own gear and definitely go out and explore. Thank you to Dany who very kind and lent me his personal gear to use. LOUNGE BAR This is the only place at this resort to enjoy a bit of nightly entertainment after sunset. Every night there are variety of world class professionals playing either smooth silky saxophone, pianist or clarinet. Outside the lounge bar near the pool we were treated to musicians and one of the best synchronized swimming water shows we have every taken in. The bar staff made any drink we asked for. Each and every one were fun, professional and polite to deal with. CAUTIONARY NOTE On Thursday we were treated to a pool side wine and rum tasting. About twenty of those of us had gathered around the pool took part and enjoyed the knowledgable staff tell us about the drinks. At the end of our trip upon at checkout I was presented to a bill of $40 pesos and asked to pay for the taste testing. I was shocked that we were not told that this was a payed event for some of the alcohol sampled. No one was told that this could happen. No one said we had to pay for some of the drinks. I told the checkout staff, Juan, that this was unexpected and unacceptable. He spoke with bar staff and his manager. His manger understood and waved the bill. I really appreciated this and wanted to mention here that this happened. I have no issue with paying for something when I know about it prior to taking part. I should also be mentioned that an "all-inclusive" resort normally means "all-inclusive" drinks. Thankfully, the manager was understanding and Juan was very polite in solving this misunderstanding. SPA and GYM Although, we toured the faculties upon arrival, we never had a chance to go there after. The gym was free but spa treatments had to be bought. I really could have enjoyed a massage to help unwind but not at the prices offered. Personally, I think that a 5 star should include some spa treatments. I think that if it one or two 15-20 minute sample treatments, like a chair massage, that people would be interested in purchasing longer or broader treatments offered. Just a suggestion. STORE There is a very small store onsite with a very small selection. Its only open briefly during the day. I bought a pair of swim trunks. There was just one style and two sizes. If you're a cigar smoker, you will be disappointed with the small section. However, Melia Las Dunes resort is just 5 kms away with a large humidor and great selection. Free bus rides leave every hour from 10 to 9 and every half hour until 11 for one resort to another and to the market. The bus was always one time and professionally driven. THE END We enjoyed our stay at the this resort. Every member of the staff were friendly and very professional. The resort is an adult only, small, clean and well kept place. The hotel management left a paper survey to fill out the day before we left. This was the first time we received a survey directly from a hotel. They seem to take recommendations serious and are trying to improve and make your stay comfortable which I found very impressive. I hope this review helps those trying to decide where to stay. With all things considered that I have written in this review be prepared to relax in this quiet and lovely resort. IT was unfortunate that our last contact in Cuba was with Sunwing but that will be fixed by not flying with them again. Hopefully, I will hear from them. They also past out a survey on the plane ride home. Let people select their own seats for free and stop the low ball practise of paying to sit with ones spouse! On a final bright note, thank you to the professional Melia Beunavista management, staff and our Trip Central travel agent for everything to make our trip relaxing and memorable. I hope you act upon my recommendations. And who knows someday we may return to your peaceful island.

Amazing beach !

This was our first and probably last trip to Cuba. We knew going in not to expect too much from the food but it was not good at all. The best food at the resort is the pizza and hot dogs at the pool snack bar. The variety of food at the two onsite restaurants was very poor. We even went to the other two Melia resorts for dinner hoping they would be better unfortunately they were no better. On a positive the staff are amazing and go above and beyond to make sure you have a wonderful stay. The poo [... read more]ls are immaculate and the grounds are lovely and we kept. The room was very nice and clean and well maintained. The outdoor shower was great and always had lots of hot water. My only complaint about the room was the bed it was like a concrete block and by day 3 my back was seized up and quite painful. My husband had discomfort as well and neither of us have back problems. The highlight for us were the beaches. The water was incredible and the best part of the vacation. Sadly I would say we won't be returning to Cuba as we felt this was a lot of money for what we got. We went to St Lucia same time last year for the same amount and it was a far superior resort. In closing it's not the resorts fault it's what they have to work with but there's so much room for potential it's a shame.

Wonderful resort

We adored the resort: beautiful location, beaches, lovely landscaping with a variety of flowering tropical plants and palms, beautifully designed spacious apartments – very clean, well maintained, we had a gorgeous view to the ocean, lovely balcony, comfortable king size bed, exotic big outdoor shower, Jacuzzi bathtub. Reliable fast internet, no limit, included at no extra fee (at the lobby). Lovely live music: piano at the bar in the evenings, jazz at the pool, guitar at breakfast, violin or  [... read more]clarinet at Sunset beach at 5:30, different live entertainment every night: excellent traditional Cuban music band, water ballet, etc. We enjoyed observing many different kinds of birds and fish. The food was good, even very, very good on several occasions. Courteous, friendly, professional staff, excellent service. Just one serious issue: The resort (otherwise pretty much spotless) must adopt and respect a strict policy about the disposal of compact fluorescent lamp (CFL). We saw such light bulb (not broken) thrown under the vegetation next to rooms 1021/1022. All members of the staff must be made aware of the importance of proper disposal of these light bulbs, and of the harm that the mercury content can do to human health, in addition to contributing to water pollution.

Amazing Resort

It was our first time in Cuba. After contemplating multiple resorts, we decided to go with Melia Buenavista. Pros: We loved the resort. It's very private, quiet, peaceful and secluded. No disturbance and interruptions. You are allowed to visit other Melia Resorts within the vicinity. Shuttle buses run every 45 minutes to an hour. The staff members are very friendly. The rooms are well maintained and spacious. Overall, this resort is a good getaway for a vacation. Cons: If you're a foodie,  [... read more]you might want to pick another resort. Food variety and quantity is very limited. We ended up eating at other Melia Resorts. Also, there is no Wifi available in the rooms. Wifi is only available in the lobby and pool area (limited access and slow).

Relaxing and beautiful

The resort was beautiful, with nice beaches and pools, room was perfect. Very quiet, probably not ideal for young people if you are looking for a party. The staff was amazing and we had very great service, especially from the pool bar staff. Food was not great and did not have a lot of continental options, but the drinks were great. Overall we were very happy with our stay but had a bit of trouble with the food because we were not used to Cuban food.

Beautiful, Peaceful Resort

If you are looking for a quiet place to get away this is it. This is the third time for my husband and myself at this resort and we love it here. All 3 beaches are beautiful with each having a different reason for visiting each day. We are partial to the "Sunset Beach" for all the wildlife you can find here and then the main beach for enjoying a long walk and not feeling crowded at all as there is always space. Best beach service by De la Torre for always having our chairs ready for us ever [... read more]y day we were there as well the bartenders, Lewis and Manuel, at the beach bar always remembering our drinks without us asking lol. The staff are amazing and always friendly and it's always nice to be remembered and greeted when they see you!! The layout is great with enough space to make it seem like you're the only ones there and never crowded. There are only main 2 restaurants and this is where they need a lot of work ... slow service, wait staff do not speak English well enough sometimes to understand what you are asking for, not a great variety of food. The buffet that is available for breakfast and lunch has changed quite a bit from our last visit with limited variety as well but at least you can order off menu. I think this is the biggest downfall of the resort but we will still visit again despite the food/restaurant issues. They do need to a lot of small repairs/updates as well if they want to be recognized as a 5 star resort. There has been a change in management since our last visit and it was apparent as there were a lot of little changes. Overall we would still go back as it is a great place to get away to relax!

A Quiet Resort

Room was clean, lots of hot water with excellent butler and maid service. The three beaches were excellent. A sunset service occurred at one beach every day. Beach chairs were set up with guests being served champagne while a musician on a clarinet or sax played a lament to the sun falling to the sea, Very beautiful to watch and to hear. Our butler booked a restaurant for dinner each day. Each of the two restaurants served excellent dinner fare. Lunch and breakfast were served at the  [... read more]buffet restaurant. Guests could also order from the menu. The chefs did a nice job with the eggs benedict. Absolutely no food lines. Service was prompt. On this trip I was provided with resort coupons for extras. I used my 50.00 coupon and resort discount to have a massage by a professional. Amazing massage for 12.00 CUC especially when I pay 100.00 plus tax here in Niagara. Pick up and delivery to the resort was easy. The 48 km drive across the ocean to the resort adds to the pleasure of the 90 minute drive from the airport. All the staff were excellent to deal with. This was my 15th trip to Cuba. I am always unhappy to leave but look forward to returning. If you are looking for a quiet stay, the Melia Buenavista is the place to be.

A little bit of heaven

This is an amazing resort.....a hidden gem. We found it very peaceful. The beaches are amazing. Loved the pools. Resort was very clean. Food great. Room clean, spacious and over looking the ocean. Lots of extra touches. Very friendly. And....only a shuttle away from the other 2 large resorts where life was much faster. No disappointments....a great place to vacation.

Melia Buenavista Cayo Santa Maria

Arrived via Sunwing out of Montreal. The resort is very nice. Everything was excellent , the rooms, the grounds, staff, beaches and the snorkeling. The only problem was the evening meals at the two on site restaurants. The food was not very good at all. The breakfast and lunches were fine but the evening meals were really bad in food quality. There was a shuttle to other resorts that had other restaurants and that is pretty much what we did for the rest of the trip. The food there was fine and o [... read more]ne of the restaurants The Marineara at Melia Las Dunas was really good although we were not supposed to go there, but they let us in anyway as they weren't busy at all. We did have a little issue with water pressure in the room but it wasn't something we couldn't deal with. Other than the evening meals this is a great resort, laid back adults only. The entertainment at night was severely subdued due to the death of Fidel Castro so can't really comment on that part of the trip.

Great resort

The only thing that could use a little help is the variety of food offered. The stuff they did serve was surprisingly tastey! We would definitely go back for the beaches and the quiet atmosphere. The rooms were clean and the snorkeling was good also.

Great Beach

We got off to a bad start with no transportation to the resort from the airport. When we did arrive, we found a beautiful small resort with 3 amazing beaches that presented some of the best snorkelling you could ask for. Our first disappointment occurred when we visited the buffet restaurant. The food was terrible and this was true of the a la carte we dined at that evening. The room was very nice; liked the outdoor shower and the proximity to the beach. The maid service was top notch but there  [... read more]were issues with the door locks and the safe. We found the front desk staff to be unfriendly and the butler assigned to us was surly and not very helpful. On checkout day, our room service breakfast didn't arrive and our bags weren't picked up. We had to take them to the lobby and no one offered to help us when the bus arrived. Over all, most of the staff was very friendly and efficient and we enjoyed our stay with the exception being the food. Some of these things were easy to overlook, but this is a 5 star resort and we paid top dollar expecting a certain level of experience that we've had at other 5 star resorts.

Fabulous resort 5 star plus

The moment we arrived, the initial bus ride to the resort, we were treated like a King and Queen! The check in was cordiual and a great tour of the grounds by Armando was delightful,the junior suite so spacious the balcony view of the sunsets was breathtaking. Outdoor shower was simply amazing, the foods at both dinner restaurants was delicious. The Pool Bar was very entertaining, the bartenders Lester & Osmani were very attentive to all of our needs, a big thank you to you both. Next to the poo [... read more]l bar was an amazing outdoor grill with the best thin crust pizzas, burgers and wings., The nightly entertainment was Cuban culture at its best, a great way to end a day. All 3 beaches were quiet and private, great relaxing moments. The Champagne Sunsets were very romantic with the sax player. We would like to thank Belkis, Armando, Lester, Osmani, Navy, and our maid Lily for making our stay a dream.

Cuban 5-Star (??) Resort: Lower your expectations

Grounds / Public Areas / Beaches: The best thing about this hotel is there 3 distinct beaches. Collectively, they provided views in 3 different directions and had different exposure to the ocean, wind & reefs. There were plenty of lounges, all sheltered under thatched roofs, with beach attendants ready to dust off the sand and bring you a drink ... all with the expectation of a tip (but see, 'Service'). If you like oceans and sandy beaches, then you'll likely be pleased with these and the fact t [... read more]hat there are three different ones. One overlooks a calm elliptical cove, protected from the vigour of the ocean by a reef and if you venture just outside of it, there are beautiful trenches and colourful fish to enjoy while snorkeling. The 'Sunset Beach' is a breath-taking, calm retreat with a boardwalk out to a Maldives-looking structure where you can enjoy morning yoga, delightful sunsets, and long walks among sparse mangroves. The main beach was acceptable for swimming & snorkeling for those who like deeper water and playing in the waves. If you decide to go to this resort, in addition to sunscreen, be sure to take insect repellant. Some people (including one of us), were bitten tens of times by sand fleas and the resulting allergic reaction was very discomforting. The grounds were mostly well kept, but some of the paths had stains from vehicles and soil spills that were not cleaned up for at least 5 days. There are two pools which are attractive and lit at night but not deep enough for exercise-type swimming. We did appreciate that this resort was for adults only. Entertainment & Activities: Nightly shows varied in appeal. Some bands were very talented and two others were 'pitchy' or out of tune. The 'house band' was talented, but I think the lead guitarist would prefer to imitate Jimi Hendrix rather than cater to the tastes of the audience. The yoga instructor was very accommodating and tried his best. He lead us through a practise, which was fine. But, he is not trained in yoga ... which is only an issue if you're not experienced yourself and need some modifications to typical poses. The pool shows were entertaining, including a synchronized swimming show which is amazing considering they executed it in less than 1m of water. We did enjoy the classical violin music on the Sunset Beach at dusk. Rooms: One of the reasons we chose this resort was for its modernist-style rooms, for something different. Our room met our expectations (more or less - except it wasn't the room we reserved), with an acceptable private view of the ocean. It was clean and bright and minimalist. We had a king-size which was comfortable, with pleasant linens and choice of pillows. We liked the outdoor shower, which looks private while you're in it, but we noticed you can actually see into it from a short distance away when illuminated by the sun. We found the climate control was inconsistent. We could not maintain the temperature to our comfort, which was aggravated by the maid-service always setting the thermostat to the coolest (i.e. freezing) setting. It was frustrating because we were trying to achieve comfort and conserve energy, but the staff seemed to ignore our preference. Dining / Restaurants / Bars / Food: This, unfortunately, is this resort's (and it turns out others we visited) Achilles' Heel and the reason we will unlikely ever return to Cuba. The food, in a word, sucks!! We dined at all three restaurants on the resort and one of us had a so-called steak at each one (branded various ways including entrecote and chateaubriand) ... worst beef ever ... even I have never cooked anything so awful. I don't think there is a indigenous Cuban who even knows what chateaubriand is. Most vegetables came from a can. Fruit was, for the most part, tasteless. Anything baked (breads, pastries, desserts), was either stale, tasteless, and lacking creativity and choice. Only once, did we ever get the bread delivered to our table warm. Icecream selection is generally limited to coconut or coconut. Once we got vanilla, and sometimes chocolate or strawberry. Seafood was largely tasteless. The best food we encountered at this resort were the pizzas prepared in a brick oven by the main pool at lunchtime, as well as the grilled meets prepared by the same two chefs. Unfortunately, some of the garnishes (e.g. mushrooms) came from a can. So, we learned to choose our toppings carefully over the course of the week. Other plusses included: - pina coladas (as long as you specified to put rum in it ... Santiago de Cuba is best) - cold cuts, cheeses, and dried fruits at the buffet - the coffee ... but only at the Lobby bar. Being fed up with the quality of the food, we decided to try a restaurant at another resort. We went to the 'Romantic Restaurant' at another Melia Hotel (Las Dunas) on the recommendations of another tourist who had echoed our sentiments about the food at Buenavista. Unfortunately, it was equally poor in terms of food, service and even ambience. Neither of us finished any course of the meal. We couldn't wait to get out of there! Service: This was our next major complaint after the food. Our 'butler' greeted us and got us settled, but had little follow up ... again, probably an expectations issue on our part. While the maid service was generally acceptable, we didn't get a change of hand towels for several days, and on the last night of our stay, our turn-down maid took our tip and gifts and didn't actually perform any service. Notwithstanding the fact this was supposed to be an 'all-inclusive' resort, we learned over the first couple of days that the staff generally expects a tip for everything from brushing the sand off your beach lounger to serving you that stuff they claim to be food. There was even a couple dressed in costume who showed up at the Lobby Bar one evening and collected tips from guests just for standing around in costume. The thing that disappointed us most about the service was that most staff do not speak English and when we asked for something specific, they would simply grin & nod and do nothing because they didn't understand what we were asking (e.g. no plates in the buffet until I tapped on one of my existing plates with a fork and pointed to the spot where the plates should have been). At that moment, one service-minded staff member ('Yosvel') rose to the occasion and happily made the situation right. From that moment on, we purposefully sat in his section of the restaurant for breakfast & lunch for the rest of the week because his service was exemplary. Every day we arrived at the restaurant for breakfast (and sometimes lunch), we found many tables had not been cleaned and reset on a timely basis. I just think that if you are in the service business and you don't understand what your customer wants, then for crying out loud go and get someone who can find out. Btw, one of the reasons we are so critical of the the food-service, is because we both have managed a restaurants in different countries. We should mention that there were, in fact, three individuals who provided what we would consider exemplary service. These folks are Yosvel (in Los Marinos Restaurant), Lester (at the pool bar), Lially (at Los Navagantes Restaurant); others deserving honourable mention include Yanisladi (sp? at the Lobby Bar), Yosmeny (sp? the pizza chef), and Lanni (housekeeping). We realize that one solution to our disappointment could be that we reduce our expectations ... and we did. The problem with this is we really didn't want to go to any of the restaurants. But our belief is that if the Melia chain wants to attract Canadians to their resorts, management should remember that there are a thousand other resorts in different countries that are competing for our vacation dollar and we will be happier to spend ours in these other countries in the future.

Better Than expected

It was a beautiful resort. Small but intimate. There were always lounges by the pool available, and the food was much better than we expected. The rooms were great, and the outdoor shower was icing on the cake!

One of the best Cuban Resorts we have been too!!

This resort was very clean, the rooms were gorgeous and the Royal Service was the best we have ever had! I have been to Cuba several times and have always had a great time, I love the Cuban people, they are always very friendly. One of the only downfalls of Cuba has been the food, it has always been mediocre, however, the Melia Buenevista offered all a la carte restaurants and the food was great! A word of caution, if you are looking to party with friends, this is not the resort for you, however [... read more], if you are looking for a romantic getaway with your significant other, this is the place you want to go!!

Big disappointment!

This resort is not 5* hotel at all. Room, garden, beaches are good, people are huge asset of that resort, they trying to do the best they can, very friendly, helpful. The huge disapointment is food and the restaurants. It is barely 2*. We ended up going to have dinners and lunches to Melia Las Dunas, which is 4 stars, but food is much much better.

Incredible Experience

If you are looking for a smaller, quiet, adult only resort that provides North American standard of luxury from accommodation to food and service then the Buenavista is for you. The resort amenities and staff were excellent and made our stay there one to remember. We will be back!

If you want to relax and snorkel this is the place

Best rooms out of any hotel in Cuba. The dual balconies and outdoor shower are like no other. The food was good by Cuban standards. I had some great meals and some ok meals. They try very hard to please our North American tastes. The pools were very shallow but relaxing. The pool bar service and outdoor wood pizza oven service were excellent. Never waited for a drink. Brought to me wherever I was. Beaches beautiful. Snorkeling... Some of the best I've seen throughout the carribean. Bring your ow [... read more]n gear though. Access to other nearby Melia resorts was easy via free shuttle. We ate at the French restaurant at one of the other resorts. It was decent. Don't expect a wild nightlife. This place is all about romance and relaxation. Great piano bar with light indoor and outdoor entertainment. Don't expect stable wifi service. If you do get it, it's in the lobby only and it's free. Staff all very friendly as per my expectations of the wonderful Cuban people. We would go back for sure.

Amazing Time !

Melia Buenavista is hands down the best resort I have been to. I believe that is meets the expectations of a 5 star resort. The grounds are beautiful, the food was surprisingly good for the bad rap that Cuba gets. I loved the lobster they had at the Italian restaurant. The beaches were breath taking literally unbelievable literally white sand and blue waters. I saw a star fish chilling in the water, fish just swimming around.We did upgraded our room to the second floor which I believe was well w [... read more]orth it. The view alone was breathtaking, along with the comfort of not being on the ggroud level where there tends to be more insects and stuff. The room itself was beautiful. I loved the ourdoor shower, everything was clean and modern. The beds were okay, it didnt beat my pillow top mattress at home but that is understandable. Ohh but the best part is the staff . They were absolutley the best. Our butlers Dymond and Joel were the best! Joel arranged our wake up call for our super early flight , he made sure we had breakfast at 3:30 am. Dymond made sure we had reservations even when we forgot. Honerable mentions include Miguel the barista, our maid lesley.. everyone at this hotel was hardworking and incredibly sweet. I loved every minute of it and would go back in a heart beat. I told everyone I know.