Life at the Sanctuary

Jose Mario our Butler was helpful as ever. Love his sense of humour and attention to detail especially organizing our taxis. Yeny is a gem, she kept our room so organized and clean. The beds and oversized pillows are comfortable. Please look after the resort dogs and cat. They’re our pets away from home and are adorable. My favourite dish was the spaghetti bolognese. The food in general has improved with a variety at evening meals available with new items as chicken wings & Asia [... read more]n appetizers on certain nights. The mango ice cream and fried calamari are a hit. You can taste and see the Italian influence of new Chef Enzo. In the lounge bar Liosdani treated us like gold. He is a sincere person, works hard, always smiling. Anet is a sweetheart and engages in conversations with guests. JJ surprised us with fried calamari and Adriana knows how to make delicious Frappuccino. The cart drivers are entertaining with great personalities accompanied with big smiles. Happy to have conversations with Yamaisy and Juana. Beautiful women, so outgoing and interesting to talk to. Definite asset to the Media Relation and Butler teams. Always treated with love and respect during our stay from the lady who gives out the beach towels, gardeners, butlers, cart drivers, lifeguards, Hobie Cat crew, restuarant staff, Roxy and staff at the snack bar, lounge bartenders and other employees who know us but we don’t know them by name. We are even known at the buffet by the servers and of course Yurialis. Butler Norvi and Manager Carlos are real gentleman. The legend Jesús Gomez is world class with his years of experience and well loved by guests!!! Hope Management heard our request to move him back bartending in the lounge. Can hardly wait to see him again in August! We would be amidst not to mention the real, loveable character Alex Basanta on the beach. Alex works way too hard, always on the go putting out lounge chairs and running, yes running to serve guests drinks on the beach. He is truly loved by guests and a good ambassador representing the Sancutary. Go Yankees! Our observations were the excess amount of salt on the food & slow service in the restaurant. This was mentioned by a number of guests and Management were improving the situation. Don’t forget to bring bug spray. Although an all inclusive resort, please tip for your service in the lounge bar, restuarant, snack bar and Alex on the beach. It’s a personal decision to tip but the service you receive warrants tipping. We were surprised the lack of tipping. Our special thanks to the Manager Hilda who is the pillar of the Sancutary!

Great time, great place

The place was overall good. They upgraded me to a suite so no complaints. All does not work perfect (bath drain was too slow), my first room has little hot water (I think they upgraded me for that reason), though I did not complain. But I enjoyed the place. Internet is far from great, but I did not come to be on the web. Cell reception is good. Food is ok, way better than all the stories I heard about Cuba (if was my first time in this country). Again, I did not go there for a great food expe [... read more]rience, so that was good too. Breakfast had a buffet or you could order an omelette. Coffee was good. Lunch buffet was fine too. Last but not least staff was great. Everyone always seemed in a good mood, smiling, whiling to help. I was surprised to see who everyone knew at least some English, sometimes quite well, in addition to French. So I would definitely go back. Good value for the price.

Would recommend this hotel

Sanctuary at Grand Memories is nestled in a quite corner of the Grand Sanctuary Resort. Although we had full access to the entire complex, we barely strayed from Sanctuary. Everything you need is there , especially if you enjoy a much more subdued environment. The rooms were very nice and there was ample hot water and pressure. I was pleasantly surprised to have very good wifi. The private beach was not crowded and the water was so warm in May. The restaurant at Sanctuary was always a le carte.  [... read more]With several choices for each meal. The chicken wings at the beach bar were tops. Staff at Sanctuary paid strict attention to mask wearing protocol. You could still see them smile dispite the mask🤗 Guests were almost entirely Canadian with a smattering of Brits and Europeans . Guests had a more casual attitude towards mask wearing . Each room was assigned a "Butler" These young men were very attentive and booked all of your restaurant meals and arranged excursions or drivers.. They did this and more without ever being a bother .I would highly recommend Sanctuary for those who enjoy a quieter environment .

Awesome

What can I say, if you are looking for an adult only vacations, this is it. Private beach, food was excellent, pool, butler, etc…Loved it, recommend it and would go back again. The staff was so friendly and so helpful.

Lacked liquor, food and activities

Grand memories Varadero was a very clean resort. People were courteous but the resort had no wine, no beer, no fries, no different menus. We booked an excursion and they would only accept cash and that was through Armando at sunwing and I had brought enough money for tips on the resort and tips on excursions but having had paid cash for extras on the excursions was a downfall for the staff since i had minimal cash left, especially when it was made through Sunwing. They should have taken my credi [... read more]t card.. I was supposed to have a butler everyday but I fired the butler Rener cuz he was useless and eventually got Melitza who was excellent with reservations but there was still a lack of liquor and the menus were all the same. I had to purchase my own wine at the resort shop for an expensive price. Very disappointed that this was supposed to be all inclusive and I wish I would have known ahead of time that they had a lack of supplies. I won't be going back to Grand memories I was highly disappointed. Also the seats on sunwing were like sitting on a bar of steel.. They should stuff their seats or upgrade the plane. This was the most uncomfortable ride ever. I will be booking with Air Canada from now on.

Amazing staff, pool facilities, & beach!

Positives: - The staff at this resort are absolutely amazing. The butlers (Rene & Mario are amazing!) will bend over backward to help you and are always around asking if you need anything. The bartenders, wait staff, groundskeepers, pool maintenance workers, entertainment and all other staff we encountered were super helpful and kind. - The adult only beach is beautiful and well kept. I did find that the flag system was perhaps a little off as it was yellow on other beaches but still green  [... read more]on ours and the current/waves were pretty rough. - The pool area is really nice and along with the grounds is immaculately kept. It can get a bit louder in the afternoon so if you desire quiet head to the beach. - Free wifi is a nice thing to have, though sometimes slow it worked fairly well for us and we were able to easily video chat with family members at home. Negatives: - The food is okay, we certainly never went hungry. There are often things missing and are definite shortages that are noticeable. However, if you are wanting any condiments you should consider bringing them as they are often unavailable (i.e. salt, pepper, ketchup, mustard, butter, etc). - The rooms are in definite need of some love. The doors are rotting, our shower overflowed always as it wouldn't drain, the toilet didn't always flush, the fan was falling off of the ceiling, our patio door lock was broken and there were holes in the top of the patio doors where bugs could get in, the cabinet where the mini fridge was was broken, lots of paint peeling etc. We were at this resort 8 years ago when it was managed by Riu and it has not changed at all. - There is no buffet at the Sanctuary side and often times the options at the restaurant there are very limited. Additionally portion sizes at the a la carte restaurant are very small. - On the weekends (Thursday to late Sunday) there are many locals that visit the hotel which is in no way problematic with the exception of meal time. We found often times those visiting would hoard food (taking full plates of items), wait in lines to get food for an entire family of six, push their way through lines aggressively.

Great people, wonderful resort

We returned home yesterday and wish we were still at Sanctuary!! We travelled with another couple. All our travels thru Canadian and Cuban airports went very smoothly! Upon our arrival at Grand Memories a shuttle was right there to take us to a quick check in at Sanctuary! Mario and Rene, what fantastic young men, our concierges, met us and looked after everything for us. A wealth of information and non-stop work. The overall hotel at Sanctuary is dated, yes, but extremely clean. Our room  [... read more]was great, clean and everything we needed. Yes, our shower leaked under the door. We used towels to stop this and they were replaced daily. Lots of clean towels, water and a few beer each day in our room. Thanks to our great cleaners, sorry not sure of their names. The food was the best food we have enjoyed at a resort in Cuba. We have travelled to Cuba at least 10 times. At Sanctuary there is a restaurant, lobby/cigar bar and the outdoor snack bar. We ate only at the Sanctuary because it was so good we didn’t want to chance anything else. Again thank you Mario for changing our reservations numerous times. Cappuccinos every morning at the snack bar along with well cooked omelettes, bacon and hash browns! We ate this outside by the pool. Service delivery right to our table. You can also go inside to grab croissants, cookies and some fruits ( and a mimosa to go)! Lunch was mostly hotdogs, hamburgers and fries. Calamari a few days with chicken Sandwiches. Most days we had ketchup and mustard. We also brought our own and some jams just in case. Suppers all in the main Sanctuary restaurant! We had other bookings and cancelled them because the meals and service at Sanctuary supper were so good. The food got better everyday. You have a choice of appetizers, then soup and any of 3 courses for supper. No complaints at all. None of us lost weight. The real story and the reason why we will return to Sanctuary is because of the AMAZING service we got and all the amazing people working so hard to make our vacation memorable. I am sorry if I miss someone but here it is. Roxana at the snack bar. My husband now calls her his back up… it’s an inside joke. But she was amazing. Supper meals Noe and Talia and Sendry and then they worked the snack bar. Amazing lovely ladies and gentlemen! They all work so many hours and smile thru long shifts. The chef Enzo and his amazing crew created us lovely meals each and every day! One special Italian meal. Made our stay. Thank you! Freddy the manager of the area seemed to work 24 hours a day. He was always there and ready to hold a door, freshen our wine or just make sure all was well! The beach! It was amazing but made more memorable by the special personality of Natalie ! And her amazing Mojitos which we enjoyed every day!! Love you Natalie!! Also Alex and Amoury (loco) the beach service was top notch. We miss you all already! And we hope nothing but great things for you all! Sorry for the long speech but so many to thank. Again we usually try different resorts but we are sure we will return to Sanctuary for the people and the relaxing vacation we had.

Spectacular resort, amazing staff.

Covid protocols were very straightforward (masks in occupied common areas such as lobby, restaurants, and buffets until seated). Resort recommendations regarding masks are strongly enforced in eating areas, and left to your own consideration in outdoors. Aside from minor pandemic supply chain issues, we highly recommend this beautiful resort. The grounds and facilities are well maintained, but what makes The Sanctuary at Grand Memories so special is the staff. Their genuine kindness and  [... read more]concern for guests is extraordinary. We would not hesitate returning to this resort on our next Cuba visit.

Great Resort - But

This was our fourth time at this resort and our suite and the staff were lovely as usual. Our one disappointment was the nightly entertainment in the bar. Once the music stopped the energy in the bar just dropped. The musicians only played for an hour and on our last night there was no entertainment in the bar. My recomendation to the resort is to have two hours of live entertainment every night and when they finish then use the speakers and music that they use around the pool area during th [... read more]e day to provide music in the bar area at night. I hope to hear that they implement this policy so that I will want to continue my yearly visit to this resort.

Sanctuary - March 2020

We just got home from a great week. Food was tasty and the beach is lovely. You’ll have to get up early (6:30) to save a shady spot. Most staff are wonderful, but like anywhere else, some are not. Our room was somewhat run down with visible black mold on all the lampshades and our door wouldn’t lock for a couple days until they fixed it properly. The shower door hinge was broken and water leaked out onto the floor, but we always had hot water. The chairs on the patio are just cheap plastic.  [... read more]Beds are firm but comfortable. There are no unobscured views of the ocean. We were a on the third floor, facing the beach but could barely see the water. The maids did a great job cleaning. Air con was nice. We saw a huge cockroach in a drawer on our last morning, but that could happen anywhere. We enjoyed having Cava (Spanish champagne) at every meal. They also serve real Baileys but you have to ask for it as they keep it hidden. They were out of sparkling water for most of the week, so mojitoes weren’t available. Breakfast in the “Paraiso” restaurant is the best. Great coffee and cappuccino, Smoked salmon, European meats and cheeses, pastries, eggs made to order. They run out of some items so be patient. We ordered room service once (included) and it was quite good. Matthew delivered it to us with cheer! The a la carte meals were hit and miss. Stick with chicken and pork if you are picky and avoid the buffet at Grand Memories (it’s a zoo there). On Cuba day (Wednesday) Sanctuary puts out a huge lunch buffet outside by the pool. It was delicious! We had to wait in line for quite a while as we didn’t time it well. The Asian/Japanese restaurant was one of our favourites. We got our 3 hours of free wifi which is supposed to be offered to all guests staying at least 7 days but you have to specifically ask for it. Worked fine in the cigar bar and reception area. Entertainment was top notch. Look for “Chino” by the pool or on the beach. He is an awesome guy and gives a great massage for a tip. Remember to offer gifts and tips to staff that don’t normally get them (towel exchange, gardeners, beach staff). We were told that the maids sell a lot of their gifts on the black market, but at least there is a bit more of a supply for the locals. They have a major shortage on personal care and household supplies. Toilet paper was always supplied in the room, but elsewhere on the resort, there was none. No soap or paper towels either. The ladies bathroom by the main restaurant was closed so we just used the men’s. Butlers offer the convenience of booking reservations for meals and services and answering questions. Ours was pleasant and efficient but not overly friendly. We heard that others had better experiences with theirs. We did like the small, quaint feel of the resort. The grounds are well kept with lots of foliage and flowers. The average age of guests was maybe around 50. It’s quiet and relaxed with many of Canadian and European guests. I’m not sure this resort deserves to be Varadero’s highest ranked on Trip Advisor. Having said that, we would most likely stay there again. Word of advice...just don’t set your expectations too high.

Great resort

We found the sanctuary part of the resort very nice,Service was excellent and the grounds,pool and beach area were great. The only issue was a shortage of staples like potatoes,mushrooms and even beer and cola on occasion the butler service was a definite bonus and we were delayed both ways this was indeed frustrating not sure we will use this carrier next trip . We however enjoyed our vacation and are happy with Trip Central

Poor resort

I have been to a lot of Caribbean islands and also to Cuba ( a few years ago ). I was very disappointed in Sanctuary at Grand Memories. The selection of food was terrible no matter which restaurants you ate at. No matter what you ordered it never tasted like what it was suppose to be. If you wanted coffee or tea after dinner you had to go to the bar. Sometimes there was no hot water to shower . Our accommodations were ok and the staff was friendly.

Beautiful resort.

Hotel. and rom spacy,Clean and with fantastic service.This resort has four swimming pools with Aqua fitness everyday and all the time.We loved the games that we enjoyed during the day.People were very friendly with the smile all the time.Our battler was taking very nice care of us. Thank you for sugesting this płace for us and l wish to go there one more time.

Just Okay

It is a nice looking resort, and they treat you quite well in the Sanctuary section. We were upgraded to a ground floor suite at no cost which was a nice surprise. The Sanctuary section is a nice oasis in the much larger Grand Memories resort, and we enjoyed having our own amenities (especially the pool and lounge bar). While service overall was good, the food itself was very hit and miss - one a la carte (Oriental) had really good food, others were okay or not very good. The beach was nice bu [... read more]t actually pretty narrow for Sanctuary guests - we didn't use it. If you're looking for a cheap getaway, and really don't care about the food, it's a pretty good value.

GREAT RESORT!

My wife and I stayed following Boxing Day for 1 week. This Adult only resort is attached to a family resort that was very busy. The Sanctuary was not as busy and was very quiet and relaxing. Big pool and area with an outside bar, restaurant and inside luxury bar. All these were very good and not crowded. The adult only resort restaurant is a sit down and not buffet style for all three meals each day. The inside bar is open 24 hrs and has live music each evening. Our room was clean, a goo [... read more]d size Jr suite with a tub and separate shower. A small patio to sit on is also a plus. Our room was quiet and we were looked after by excellent housekeeping and a butler! Keep in mind that all guests at the Adult Only resort may also use the main buffet and all restaurants and pools of the family resort as well. One plus of the Sanctuary is the 30% discount at any of the extras such as massage and pedicure. Finally, Sanctuary guests have their own (quicker) check-in counter that avoids the long line ups at the family resort check-in.

Great resort

We stayed at the Sanctuary. First time in an adult only hotel, and it was excellent. Staff were very friendly. Beach was beautiful Very clean hotel with spacious rooms. Food was so so but this is epected for Cuba. Would definitely go back.

Wonderful resort!

Stayed at the adults only Sanctuary Nov.21-28. Perfect weather, excellent service. The best bed I have ever slept on in Cuba. Still some damage to the doors from last years hurricane, but all in all, very nice rooms with a bar and full fridge with water, pop and beer. Friendly staff, making the best of shortages. Clean, sandy beach.

Lovely vacation

The hotel was lovely. Well kept grounds, everything immaculate, staff friendly and helpful. Very glad there was no loud music playing on the beach. A bit too noisy at pool area. Room quiet and comfortable. Food varied and plentiful. Would certainly return.

Love the Sanctuary!

I have found my little piece of heaven in Cuba. ♥️ Everything is better than expected. Second time to this resort and there will be a third. This resort has the most professional and impressive friendly food manager too that introduces himself to everyone. Such a credit to this resort.

Wonderful service, tired resort....

Before I get into the nitty gritty of the resort, I wanted to preface my review by saying that the staff here are absolutely wonderful. Everyone was extremely friendly and eager to please. Also, the beach is hard to beat - the water is beautiful. Unfortunately I found the resort to look a bit tired... It could definitely benefit from a coat of paint in all the rooms and restaurants. Our room has scuff marks and hand prints on almost every wall. Our bathroom had an odd smell which I attribute to [... read more] what looked like painted-over mould on the ceiling (in the corner). Our bathtub was missing the drain plug which was disappointing when I went to try and have a bath. The water is rarely warmer than lukewarm which is pretty unpleasant to shower in... Many of the a la carte restaurants had very sad looking decor and extremely battered light fixtures and tables/chairs. Our fabric napkins had paint on them in almost every restaurant we ate at. The food is mediocre - we only ate at the main buffet once as the food was really not good. We chose to eat at the Sanctuary's restaurant for breakfast and lunch every day which was usually pretty good. A few times I had rice that was completely under cooked. The only 2 a la carte restaurants that I would recommend are the Oriental and the Sanctuary's Paradise restaurant. The restaurants were out of bacon by our first day there, out of tomatoes and tomato sauce by the second day, and out of champagne/sparkling wine by the third day... and they did not get any of these items back in stock before we left. I know that this resort has a very high repeat customer rate, and as far as Cuba goes, it's not bad... however I would much prefer a resort elsewhere that doesn't run out of food for days at a time and has rooms that don't look like a cheap hotel... Did I have a good time still? Absolutely. I go for the beach. The food was mediocre, but the beach and the good service we had definitely helps to counteract the negatives.