Beautiful resort, beach and people!

We stayed at this resort January 31- February 7. We were greeted by our butler with our envelope for our room. Although I requested a second floor, we were given a first floor in Bungalow 5. It was a central location with accessibility to the lower pool, the Sunset restaurant for breakfast and lunch and path to the beach. The room, however was in need of repair and the pillows and bedcovers were dirty. The tiles in the bathroom shower had mildew and paint chips were falling off the corners in th [... read more]e bathroom. We requested a room on a second floor and were upgraded to an ocean front room. Beautiful room, but the A.C. did not work and the shower head leaked. Both were fixed in 1-2 days. We were in Bungalow 6. Our butler, Diago was wonderful and was very attentive and went over and above with extras for us! Food was o.k. There are 3 restaurants and received our reservations on the first day from our butler. We enjoyed the Eggscellence restaurant for supper, breakfast was just o.k., preferred The Sunset, better coffee and ordered from the menu and was close by to our bungalow. Senses was the other restaurant for dinner. Be aware of the lobster, heavy and could cause upset stomachs, whereas the surf and turf dinner at The Sunset was wonderful! The grill by the beach is great for lunch. A server will bring you a quesadilla of your choice, chicken, shrimp or beef. Yummy! The drinks are good. We received a bottle of wine from our butler and it was nice to have in the room for a drink before dinner or to take with us to the lobby. The house wine, white, a Pino Grigio and the red are quite nice. The public washrooms are very clean and the ladies who look after them are always smiling and singing! The entertainment is enjoyable and varied. Wonderful dancing, singing and instrumental music. We even heard a trio who played for President Obama! The people who work at this resort are the real plus for this resort. They are so kind and accommodating and we can understand why so people return year after year. The beach and the water are also major pluses. WOW!!! Absolutely amazing! It is recommended to go down early, 8 or 8:30 a.m. to get beach chairs under a palapa. Leave your beach towels, that are in your room upon arrival and maybe a book or sunscreen, The beach attendant will get you the chairs, brush them off and just give him a one CUC. Go for breakfast and you are good for the day! The beds by the pool look nice, but are not all that comfortable. The upper pool by the lobby is the quiet pool, and the lower pool is where all the action is! Fashion shows, water aquatics and dance lessons. Oh, yes, the bank is right next door in the plaza, open Monday to Friday. We got 38 CUCS for $50 CA. We tipped with $5 CA upon arrival until we got to the bank on Monday. The flight was great there and back from Hamilton. The bus ride was 90 minutes and with cold Cuban beer and a wonderful guide, we were there in no time! A wonderful week with many adventures and friendships to last a lifetime!

Smaller more relaxing resort

Our stay at the Royalton was very relaxing. We spent every day at the beautiful beach reading. The staff are very attentive and are happy to help you with everything. Michele and Javier were especially great and went above and beyond to make our stay feel special. Because its a smaller resort the staff are really able to get to know you and have the time to get everyone drinks. You have access to the resorts next door Memories and Grand Memories, with over 3,000 people at those resorts they [... read more] are much louder and busier, so it was nice to go over to change up the dinners and watch some entertainment but the best to come back to a quieter more relaxing Royalton. For Cuba, the food was excellent. Its all menu dinners, and a little buffet for breakfast but you can order your eggs from the menu. They have a nice market attached right to the resort to buy souvenirs. The Wifi is not great, but it's nice to disconnect. Sunwing was brutal, will not be flying with them again. But if we can find another carrier to get us there we will be back!

Terrible experience

Overall, this was not a good experience. The hotel would maybe be a 2.5 rating if that. The people were lovely and kind and they made our time enjoyable. The service was exceptional and that stands out amongst several other countries we’ve visited. That said, we went in expecting not great food, but a lot of it was really bad. I don’t eat a lot of meat, but the veg/starch options were really limited. Both of us got sick on the trip and took Dukoral before we left! The hotel grou [... read more]nds were very nice, beach was stunning. Out of 5 days there we had 2 nice weather days, the others were raining and cold. The pool - several people cut their feet/legs on the side of the pool as they feel through plastic pieces that lined the pool. Someone was bleeding in the pool and nothing was done about it...super concerning swimming with someone’s bloody foot hanging there. This happened at least 4 times while were there. The worst part were the delays...Sunwing, would never travel with this company again. We were delayed arriving and several hours delayed upon return (flight was supposed to leave Cayo Santa Maria at 5:30pm and didn’t leave until 1:30am. Cockroaches in the Cuban airport crawling up the walls. When I reached out to TripCentral about the delay they were very unhelpful. Overall, not great and would never go back to this resort. It should not be rated a 5 star!

Beautiful, wonderful resort!

this small resort is just perfect. Rooms are large, grounds are beautifully landscaped, lots of helpful and friendly staff always available. Quiet and relaxing yet still entertaining. Beach is fantastic

Not 5 star hotel

This was my third time to the royalton and it will be my last This resort has gone so far downhill Most of the staff were not friendly or courteous at all The food what little supplies they had was not good they were out of almost everything the entertainment was pathetic basically a couple of Cuban guys round the pool at 4pm for an hour and they spoke mainly Spanish I wouldn't spend the money on this so called 5 star resort definately not 5 stars anymore !!

Amazing trip!!

My husband and I have traveled to Cuba in the past but had gone to Varadero. We thought that beach was nice. Then we recently (last week) stayed at the Royalton Cayo Santa Maria and omg...the beach is GORGEOUS!!! We had a fabulous stay. We upgrade to ocean view room (so worth the money). We have traveled to many places and this was by far, the best vacation. The resort is likely the best in the area. The staff are very friendly and while the restaurants are few on site (3), they always has good  [... read more](and heathy) options along with great service. The bbq near the beach serves delicious fajitas for lunch! The manager (Luigi) is very hands on and genuinely wants to ensure the guests have an enjoyable vacation. With two pools (one quiet and one with more action) gives great options for your mood. The bartender at at quiet bar (Dorian) is awesome!! Great guy. Housekeeping staff is very friendly and they do a fabulous job. We are definitely returning and can’t wait to do so!

Exceed Expectations!

We have stayed at multiple resorts in Cuba and this is the best by far! Santa Maria beach is perfect with the powdery white sand and crystal clear calm waters. We were there Dec. 27- Jan. 3 at peak time and never had to search for a chair at the beach or the pool, even if we didn't arrive until 10:30 a.m. In fact, there were always extra chairs around throughout the day. You have your own butler who makes all of your dinner reservations and will get you whatever you need. It's an awesome service [... read more]! Yes, the food is repetitive, but we found some really delicious options: eggs made to order for breakfast, quesadillas at the beach, hamburgers and BBQ grill at the pool for lunch, thick freshly made daiquiris (pineapple and lime were yummy!) at the upper pool, cappuccinos and cocktails at the lobby bar...I definitely wasn't starving. Dinner at the a la cartes were edible. I didn't miss waiting in line at a buffet or eating out of food that's been sitting around for hours. The rooms were clean, beds were comfortable, and we always had hot water. Can't complain. We will return for sure!

Nice resort

Flight Travelled with Air Transat and flight was changed from 6 am to noon so we got to the hotel late at night. Sunwing same flight time and day kept their flight. Misleading when buying a package. Restaurants It’s three restaurants that they prearrange for you and it’s the same food. Food is hit or miss. There is a pool restaurant open 24hrs that serves minimal items. No buffets. Beach Beach was ice. Some days had jelly fish and the hotel posts warnings. Thoughtless people reser [... read more]ve cabanas and never show up or show up later in the day. Rooms We’re clean although we found a roach in ours and millipedes were seen daily. They load the mini fridge with two beers, soda and water. They do always provide water. Entertainment Most nights it was singers in the lobby. For New Years and the next night there was a water show with dancers, very good. Lots of mosquitoes! New Years We went for New Years and staff seemed more preoccupied with helping themselves to the party favours and serving management. There was a huge buffet that night but waiting at each station meant your food was cold by the time you returned to your table. There was Champaign served.

Tranquil Resort

Peaceful, Tranquil Adults Only Resort with beautiful gardens, clean rooms, very friendly staff, good food, great variety of cocktails to choose from & THE MOST AMAZING spectacular beach. Everything you could possibly want on your vacation and more.

Beautiful Resort, But...

The Royalton Cayo Santa Maria is arguably the most beautiful resort in the Cayo Santa Maria area. The grounds are very lush and are extremely well maintained by the gardeners. The buildings are well maintained and attractive. Our room was very comfortable and clean, with excellent a/c, which is a must have in Cuba. Luigi, the General Manager, has been at the resort for only four weeks, but is present at least 16 hours a day. He is constantly interacting with the staff, as well as the guests, a [... read more]nd is extremely attentive. The Butler service is a nice touch, and they are willing to anything they can to help you enjoy your vacation. As for the beach, well you won't find a better one. It is gorgeous, with fine white sand, that stretches for about six kilometers. The servers are constantly looking after guests and seem truely pleased to do so. Rosemary, runs the quesadillas grill next to the beach bar at lunch, which is not to be missed. She does a fabulous job. The bars are all well stocked, and can make almost any drink you desire. The pina coladas are very good and don't taste artificial at all. The staff at all the bars are very pleasant and service is top notch. The one downfall to the resort, is the selection of food at the restaurants. It is very limited, and definitely needs improvement. However, a highlight in addition to the quesadillas, is the daily BBQ lunch next to the snack bar. The grill chef does a spectacular job, grilling up chicken, ribs, pork, rice, etc. You shouldn't miss it. Unfortunately, the other restaurants need to improve. If that were to happen, the Royalton would be an unbelievable value. Hopefully Luigi can make the changes necessary to achieve the resort's full potential. Overall we had a great time at the resort and I'm sure most people do. It would be great if they could improve the dining experience. Then they truly would deserve a 4.5 - 5 star rating.

Tranquility at Royalton Cayo Santa Maria

Like what it's says in the title, if you are looking to rest and have tranquility while having fun this is the place for you. This hotel offers a very clean soroundings including your your room. The place is maintain with very nice people all very attentive of your needs. Very clean pool and a 24 hours snack bar which is very close to all apartment or houses where your rooms are. Spectacular views and coffee bar which is also 24 hours. Sounds like I'm advertising but that is what I really felt a [... read more]nd observe in this hotel. I would recommend this hotel for everyone that are looking for security, tranquility, and a fun vacation. Thanks also to all staff specially to Diego who assist us with where to dine and booked at the same time. Also to Hilde she is a very helpful and very nice Receptionist.

Fabulous stay!

This was our second visit to this resort and we were equally pleased. The beach is second to none in Cuba and the people were simply amazing. From resort management in Luis who welcomed us with open arms and made sure our stay was what we wanted, to entertainment staff including Blanca, Sousa and Yuri! Their presence was infectious and genuinely made you feel a part of the party, to wait staff who demonstrated upmost respect and always greeted us with warm smiles and wonderful hospitality... to  [... read more]our amazing butlers .. Dani and Javier, who catered to our every need and request.. yoandra our cleaning staff made sure our room was spotless every single day, her genuine smile and humbleness was admired. I recommend this hotel to anyone who wishes to visit Cuba in an adult only environment with wonderful accommodations and a backdrop to die for. If I could say anything.. I would say to please acknowledge those resort workers that are behind the scenes working their butts off to make your stay everything you could wish for from groundskeeper to bartenders on the beach to the loveliest gentleman who made sure the beach was cleaned of garbage daily.. we appreciate you all!!!

Disappointed

Everything was good, just three main minuses: 1 A lots of mosquito, no one spay can help, was eaten alive 2 No buffet, only one restaurant with only two chooses of meal (the menu is really bad, plus one evening we get juice completely fermented). 3 Big cockroaches in the room, which is very disgusting (they live besides the wood bad frame)

Relaxing and Very Clean

Having a butler to cater to your needs is one of a kind. We were lucky to have Alexis and Javier as our butlers- making sure we were well taken cared of. Thanks Alexis for the surprise birthday treat for both my husband and our friend👍! The beach is gorgeous as well as the pool. The rooms are well kept, other than problems with the patio door. The restaurants are average, not enough on the menu to choose from. Sunset patio restaurant can offer more food choices. We barely enjoyed our lobste [... read more]r dinner as the mosquitos had a feast on US😩! Most hotels have buffets while Royalton only had 3 restaurants to choose from. Well manicured landscape/ garden and very clean. Employees can be warmer and friendly. Overall, we enjoyed our stay and experience at Royalton Cayo Santa Maria.

AMAZING RESORT!

This hotel is absolutely amazing! From the grounds to the staff.Food was amazing best I've had in Cuba 9.5/10 Beach 10/10 I will be back! Best hotel in Cuba! If your thinking of going to Cuba I highly recommend this place. You will not be disappointed.

Great resort!

The hotel is very nice but it is showing some wear and tear. For example, on several occasions I got chipped plates or cups at the a la carte restaurants. In the lobby where nightly activity is held, the sofa is ripped in certain areas and needs to be replaced. The grounds are gorgeous. The gardeners do a fantastic job with all the greenery. The pools are also beautiful but it would be nice if you could change the sheets when you get the bed by the pool. They are changed in the morning but not  [... read more]during the day when it becomes available to a another guest. The service at the Eggcellence restaurant was slow on several occasions as well. We loved the grill at lunchtime. Most of the staff are helpful and the butlers are definitely your go to people who make any problems disappear very quickly.We had Javier and Alexis both very helpful and professional. Overall , I would go back to the Royalton and recommend to friends.

Great Resort

I asked for a room with a balcony when we booked our trip. When we arrived they gave us the ground floor. The person at the front desk really didn't care and just said all the rooms were booked. The next day one of the butlers by the name of Diego came over and said he would change our room to a balcony room no problem. The service of the remainder of the staff was excellent and the hotel and grounds were exceptionally clean. Food was also good - so no complaints here!

The staff were amazing at this resort !!!!

Getting there from YYZ : We flew out on May 4,2019. The original flight was for 615am but we were pushed back to 9am due to the closure of the Santa Clara airport in Cuba. We were re directed to land in Cayo Coco, Cuba. The transport to and from YYZ, provided by Red Carpet Car service was excellent. The 3 hour flight was uneventful....Thank You Air Transat. Upon landing in Cayo Coco : The promised 3 .5 hour transport to Caya Santa Maria was in fact a 6 hour bus ride on a bus with a broken bath [... read more]room. We had to stop 3 x for bathroom breaks. On the bus we were offered overpriced warm beer for purchase....when in fact this should have been offered free of charge. Luckily I had some Cuban pesos from a previous trip.....I bought ice cold cans of beer from shops, for half of the price offered on the bus, that we stopped at for our bathroom breaks. I could tell that the transport team was NOT happy about this....but hey, this is Cuba !!! The Royalton,Cayo Santa Maria : 12 hours after we were ORIGINALLY supposed to arrive....we finally arrived! The check in was smooth and painless.We were given room 0504 which was awesome. The room was close to every amenity. We were in fact treated like royalty by the Royalton staff for our entire stay. The grounds were breathtakingly beautiful!!! The beach was fantastic !!! The downsides : There were food shortages. Some days no pizza....other days no quesadillas, beef, chicken , bread etc. The house wines were sub par and this was forwarded to management and discussed on my Tripadvisor review also. We ordered some wines from the a la carte menus for some meals. Also, although the Royalton is only 5 years old....rooms need refreshing. In summary : The biggest turn off to this vacation was the lost 12 hour on Saturday May 4, 2019 .We arrived at the resort just in time to go to bed. Not the vacation we planned at all. Many folks complained out this and informed me that they would be seeking compensation from their various tour suppliers. eg Sunwing. Would I go to the Royalton again? For sure. I feel like we were treated like family. However....on the next visit I want to be on the beach shortly after 12 noon.

Not a 5 star resort

Amazing beach, beautiful grounds and good service. The food is absolutely terrible and yes I know it's Cuba! Limited drinks because of mix shortages. Expected better based on reading reviews prior to booking. No need to visit other properties that you have access to, very poor quality.

Amazing vacation!

This resort is the best I've ever been to in Cuba. The food is of course not fine dining but the good drinks and service make up for it. The beach has sand as soft as baby powder and they will bring your drink to your beach chair as well as beach snacks. You never have to get up. Butler service is very helpful and everyone was friendly.