Dissapointing

The low price is reflective of the quality of the resort post-Hurrican Irma. Avoid lower level floors as the water damage had left a musty smell in our first room. We moved to another (lower level) floor and had to deal with ants in the bathroom and bed.The air conditioner leaked and created a large pool of water in the bathroom. The resort food was very average which is typical of most resorts in Cuba but what set this apart was no butter or jam for the first 3 days and no ketchup at all. We ha [... read more]ve travelled a lot to Cuba and this was the first time both my wife and I had to deal with Montezuma's revenge. We spoke with people who stayed at the Las Dunes next door and they had only good things to say... WestJet = sit near the front of the plane, they always run out of food and they do it on purpose to avoid wasting food. The TV screens do not work well in the back of the plane. The price is right for a reason - you get what you pay for but they can keep the revenge.

Small but mighty

My second time at the Melia Cayo Santa Maria and it was even better than the first time. GREAT food, great staff who work SO hard and are invariably smiling and friendly. My wife was at one of the high priced new resorts farther down the beach a few weeks earlier and she raved about how much more she enjoyed the Melia CSM. There will always be petty annoyances (always seem to be out of something) but this place makes you glad to take it all in stride. Two little things...they need to do a better [... read more] job cleaning the beaches of seaweed (all along CSM not just at this resort) ... And they need a firmer stance in dealing with the handful of obnoxious guests (all, sadly Canadian middle aged tough guy wannabes and biker posers) who drunkenly screamed racist and obscene comments all evening long with families with children at the next table. Really, boys if you can't handle your beer any better than that...stay home. You embarass yourselves AND your country!

Great resort!!!

My wife and I, our youngest daughter and her boyfriend were at the Melia Cayo Santa Maria Jan 18 - 25, 2018. The resort was very beautiful and much has been done to recover from the hurricane. The grounds are immaculate, you would never know that there was any damage only a few months ago. Our room was on the ground floor. The only evidence of flooding was that the bottom 4-5 inches of our bathroom door was water damaged, but otherwise, it was great. The shower and tub could use an update,  [... read more]but it was very clean. All of the staff were incredibly friendly and helpful. We only did one a la carte restaurant (Japanese) which I always enjoy. We found that the buffet had limited variety of food options from day to day. The snack bar had very good food and the pizzas delicious. Some sections of the beach have mounds of sand as a result of the hurricane. They were not crowded and always lots of options for shade or sun or both depending on your preference. Overall, a very nice resort!

Beautiful Resort

The resort was beautiful. Nice big rooms, nice clean washrooms at the lobby and pool (not always the case in Cuba). The beach was amazing. The customer services was also top notch. They had waiters coming around at the pool and in the lobby to take your order - no need to go to the bar. The people working in the buffet were also great. One of the cooks at the meat station even brought our cooked chicken/pork to our table after the first or second supper (my husband did tip him each time).  [... read more] The pool was kept clean and our rooms were cleaned daily and included a towel creature each day with a note from our maid. The mini-bar was stocked daily and one day it wasn't so we called up to the lobby and they send someone down right away. (apparently I had been sleeping when they came originally and didn't want to disturb me) My only complaint is that the food at the buffet was the same every night. Now that being said there was lots of variety of food so not an issue to find food to eat, and I found there was a better selection of vegetables from other resorts I've been too. Be aware that the drive from the airport to the resort is an hour and 45 minutes. We were aware of this as we've been there before.

Perfect resort !

Everthing was perfect...the staff is the best...always ready to help and make your stay to be just wonderfull, the food and the restaurants à la carte are excellente, the pool and the pool bar are just great and I think they have the most beautifull beach at Cayo Santa Maria ...thank you very much ! I will see you again next in 2019 😊

Melia cayo santa Maria

beautiful love to return here again and again, people are amazing, love it can't wait to return😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxcxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

A very nice resort ,small so easy to get around

Needs a little TLC ,grounds could be nicer. Staff very friendly, housekeeper made beautiful towel art. Food was good most days, always found something to eat. All the staff remembered you and would give you a kiss when you came in to the bar or restaurant.They even remembered what you drank.

A Wonderful Time

We have just returned from 11 wonderful days at the Melia Cayo Santa Maria. This was our 9th trip to the resort. Being so soon after Irma I was totally amazed at the state of the resort. If you have not been here you would not know that this hotel property was hit by a CAT 5 hurricane. The work completed by the employees and construction is truly amazing. The grounds are spectacular and the gardeners deserve first mention here as this sets the tone for the whole resort. Some trees were lost, a l [... read more]ot of leaves are gone, others show a definite lean but I was surprised by the number of coconuts that survived. Cleanup continues but flowers are growing, trees and bushes trimmed and grass is being cut. Everything is manicured and is worthy of new pictures on the Melia sites and brochures. The pool area has lots of shade with new palapas completed. One pool has had the tiles repaired and was completely regrouted. The hot tub between the pools is operating and has many areas for relaxing around it. The two men that maintain the pools and area take such pride and do exceptional work. They are to be commended. Beach towels were available from 9:30 am to 5:00pm daily except for an hour during lunch. New towels were added to the supply the same as for the rooms. There was never a shortage of these. The lobby and bar makeover that was near completion last April has been finished with new painting due to some storm damage. New lighting has been completed and the lobby washrooms have been totally renovated. The openness and extra seating makes it comfortable for viewing the nightly entertainment or enjoying a refreshment at any time of the day or night. The food we have always found to be very good with lots of variety but it seemed better than ever on this trip. The Italian al a carte is now a Tex Mex. This is a corporate decision. I found it different but should you like it very spicy then you may consider bringing you own sauces. The French is now International and has a varied menu. No lobster but a surf and turf with a lobster tail and beef that is wonderful. The Japanese and Mediterranean are still as good as ever. Now my Rant. In many reviews of this and other resorts people have complained about flies in the Buffet. Yes there are flies but if people closed doors after themselves like they do at home there would not be as many getting in. My room seem to be just as I left it in April but I then discovered the new balcony door. Many of the doors have been replaced. The fridge was restocked daily with whatever you required, Pathway lighting has not only been repaired but upgraded as well making for safe romantic walks in the evening hours. It is now much easier to see the crabs scurrying about. Nestor has a new beach bar with many upgrades. One upgrade is a small grill where you can get grilled sandwiches, and burgers. The walkway to get to the beach has been replaced. The Ranchon has a new roof and floor with a new bar and equipment. Expansion of this building was put on hold for now. The beach seems to have been improved from the storm as it is bigger. Shade is not a problem as there is plenty of palapas and loungers available. The Cuban day party was at the Ranchon and beach with music, food, drinks, and dancing and was a great time. There has been many changes to the resort but the one constant is the wonderful staff. Due to Irma their lives have been upset with damage to their homes and families but they greet all guests with warmth and sincerity as they did before this event. Heriberto, Bladimir, Danial, Osbeil, Demarys, Kiriena, Juan Carlos and all the lobby bar staff (too many names), Alaine, Yasmilsky, Yigani, Freidy, Ramone, Hamlet, Louise and his partner at the pools all do an exceptional job at making a guest stay memorable. The gardeners, maids, entertainment staff with Arel and Ernesto, the service workers all make your visit special,

Charming resort

Just back from Cayo Santa Maria . A relaxing holiday in a very friendly environment . The staff made all the difference to make my stay memorable . I highly recommand that hotel for those who are looking for a relaxing holiday ! I won't hesitate to go back again

Wish we could have gone here.

We love this resort. Its our favorite of all of Cuba destinations. Unfortunately , we were not permitted to go to this resort due to the hurricane. We ended up at a different Melia in Holguin. Hopefully, we will be able to come back to this fine resort as it is top notch to us and the service , food, beach, staff etc are amazing ! We look forward to coming to this Melia resort in the near future.

Do not go here in the immediate future

I have filed a complaint with Air Transat and Meila International upon our return from here July 14 2017. There are some serious problems at this location and need to be addressed I have given both Air Transat and Melia the opportunity to make good on our vacation woes before I publish my detailed account of events but for now, the beaches are beautiful and there are 14 other establishments in Cayo Santa Maria to choose from. Until the health , saftey and customer service issues at this resor [... read more]t are quickly resolved I suggest another location.

Amazing

We loved it and plan on getting married there. The staff was excellent very friendly and make you feel at ease. The beach was amazing and the grounds were very clean. Daniel the cook made a a special lunch on our last day...it was the best meal I have ever had in Cuba.

Very pleased with my choice of Melia Hotel

Melia Cayo Santa Maria is a really nice place. We usually go to to Melia Cayo Coco but as I had my granddaughter with me this was not a choice as it is adults only. The Santa Maria offers a mini club and this exceeded my expectations by far. The ladies that run the kids club are the best and my granddaughter counted the minutes for the kids club to open. Buffet restaurant, beach restaurant and lobby bar excellent, room very nice, pools spectacular and so is the beach. The grounds are kept pri [... read more]stine. What makes or breaks a stay for me are the people that run a place. Absolutely everyone bent over backwards to make our stay memorable.

Amazing Resort

ground very good, food very good, all people work very friendly. and room very clean. only many mosquito and flies.only one night from my bath room has cockroach toilet paper a little bit hard, every thing very good.

Lovely resort

really enjoyed my stay there. the staff were incredibly friendly and went all their ways to serve us. rooms were huge n clean. beach is stunning. nothing to complain about except for flies and mosquites as hurricane season is starting.

Great Resort

Plus , great Service , large Rooms , very good Beach good variety of food Minus , one of the walkways to the beach has broken planks and several broken railings , allowing People with Bathing Suite into the Dinning Room , not acceptable in my view ,

Great staff

love the resort been four times, great staff, entertainment, can't wait to return , beautiful grounds, hardworking people, great beach and pool, getting little dated but can't help retuning, love it, would go back tomorrow

Great Family Vacation!

We arrived at the Melia Cayo Santa Maria April 29 2017 7 of us in total. Let me start by saying the bus ride is really long so be prepared. Check In Went pretty quick with friendly reception. I had sent an email requesting that the 4 rooms we had booked be close together and they did that which was excellent. Rooms They are clean, pretty but dated, the beds are hard. I think they could use an update. Pools and beach The pools are big lots of chairs and shade. The BEACH is amazing  [... read more]but its Cuba and beaches are always good. The people are so friendly and cannot do enough for you. Food The buffet was awful, no change usually the same everyday. The restaurants where very good so we stuck to those for lunch and supper. All in all we will not be returning to this area as the distance from the air port is to long and one has to think what does Cayo Santa Maria have that other areas of Cuba that are closer to the airport have? In my opinion nothing. If they build an airport closer I would definitely come back. Thanks for a great family vacation filled with great memories Cuba!

Phenomenal resort!

This is our second visit to this resort in Cuba and did a 10 day all inclusive this time. The staff are so warm and friendly, the grounds beautifully landscaped and the beach is breathtaking. The food offers many options from the crepe bar in the buffet, the snack bar with great burgers and unique yummy pizza, the beach BBQ chicken and calamari is additive and succulent lobster in the French a la carte. Oh and I can't forget the "to die for ice cream."

We'll be back!

This was our third time at Melia Cayo Santa Maria and it has improved so much since the first time we visited. Cleanliness, food, staff, entertainment has all gotten better. Check-in was super fast. Room was ready before check-in which was helpful. They had run out of bracelets but we never ended up going back to get one. I rather not have a bracelet anyway. I don't' particularly like the tan it leaves. We were there for 7 days in April and 6 out of the 7 days the weather was beautiful. I  [... read more]have to say the most improved is the food. I've never eaten at the restaurants but the buffet had so much more this time. The crepe station was fabulous and a great addition. The food seemed fresh and flavorful and there was so much more fruit this time. The mangoes were so good. The ranchon is my favorite. I always had their Cuban plate with a glass of vino. Those servers work so hard and I appreciated how friendly they were with us. The BBQ meat was delicious too. They also could accommodate my friend who is a vegetarian so that was great. The snack bar was also very good. I noticed an addition of hot dogs which was good. Rooms were great as always. So much room and the bathroom is big enough for 2-3 girls getting ready for a night. The beds were comfortable. Fridge and room was always stocked and cleaned. Always good water pressure and hot water. Rooms are one of the highlights of the hotel. So much space to feel at home for the week. The beach has always been the nicest I've ever seen. So clean, so blue and so warm. The beach is a good size. Always someone to help you find and clean a beach chair. Always somone to take your drink order. Compact enough where you don't feel overwhelmed by people on the beach but enough so that you feel like you're in all the action. The pools were nice too. I like that this hotel is not packed with people and there is a varied age group. I like the mid sized resorts and that is what Melia is. The grounds are beautiful. The renovations are really nice and the lobby has such a good vibe and especially at night when you can enjoy a coffee or drink. Or on a rainy day when there are dance lessons happening. There is always something going on there. I love that there is a store on the hotel grounds as well as between Melia Cayo Santa Maria and Melia Las Dunas. Easy to get a taxi and to book excursions. I think that also the reason I keep coming back and I have friends who have returned many times is because of the entertainment and its staff. It's unlike I have ever seen. I have been to many resorts in many different countries as well as Cuba and I have never seen an entertainment team work so hard. They truly are amazing ande always have something going on for us. They are up so early preparing for the day. Carrying out all sorts of activities which are so fun. I now know how to dance salsa! They don't push you to participate but they are so inviting which makes you really want to get up and dance. They always have a smile. Always so friendly. They work all the way into the night and have these amazing shows. Then some of them accompany you to the disco where the fun goes into the wee hours of the night and then they are back at it bright and early. I don't know how they do it!! I have so much respect for them. They make your trip so entertaining and fun that I can't say enough positive things about all of them. Especially Rey and Ernesto! Each time I've been there they both have been so great and it makes you feel so welcomed that you want to return to see your Cuban friends. Thank you to both of them and the entire entertainment team for such a fun week! Our favorite part of the week was the Carnival on Tuesday night. That was SO much fun!! We love Cuba and will keep on coming back. We've been to so many parts of Cuba and love every single part of the county. It hasn't lost its authenticity or its beauty. Until next time Cuba and Melia Cayo Santa Maria. We will miss you but can't wait until we return again. All of it's improvements are appreciated and well worth the price. See you soon!