Excellent location but poor services

We were impressed by the beaches and chef Luciano's gourmet food served daily at the buffet. The spark of these excellent marks was diminished by the lack of consistency in services, the fact that room service is ending at 5 pm and if you need an extra bottle of water they refuse to give it to you. We have to use the same beach towels for 4 days because nobody knew when they'll be able to provide fresh ones. The public toilets run out of toilet paper plus they were in a desperate need of repairs [... read more]. I found crouches running on my chair in the Japanese restaurant so our appetite just disappeared and we left the restaurant. The sofas and chairs in the main hallway need a very good cleaning and overall a good cleaning may help the hole resort. I will give a 5* for food and beaches and a 3.5* for services

Great Beach

This is an old resort that needs a lot of maintenance. The boardwalk to the beach had many holes and is very dangerous if someone miss steps. The beach is clean and gorgeous with white sand and aqua water with enough shades and lounge chairs. The food was not great, It's hard to find food any of us really liked or could get excited about. We did have some nice meals in the Cuban and Italian restaurants and the lobby bar makes amazing coffee. The staff were friendly everywhere and they  [... read more]didn't need to be tipped to get good service. One big problem was the golf carts that pick up and drop off guests. They were completely unreliable and the resort is very large. On our last day we had to walk with our luggage from our rooms to the lobby after a 40 minuet wait outside. We were in building 37 and it was quite a long hot walk. When we told the front desk they were not concerned in the least which was disappointing. We had a nice family trip but I have been to nicer resorts in Cuba

First Family trip in Cuba

Hotel: Good as described for lodging; much less mosquitoes than other resorts. Playas: nice beaches, very calm seas, good for kids. Food: below average in the first few days (before the WE); good after, since there were travel groups from Canada. Ambiance: average to good; lots of latinos from Argentina, Chili ...; rude and noisy, not orderly (cigarettes butts on the floor, near the pools, on the beaches, garbage and empty cups in trees, bushes ...). Not treating Cubanos nicely, no tips, onl [... read more]y ... orders (colonial attitude). Roads: 2 hrs drive from airport!

Overall great family vacation

We stayed at the Iberostar Ensenachos for a week second week of June. We travelled with the family, husband, wife and two kids aged 2 and 7. This was our second stay at this resort. We were here last year in June as well. This year we really enjoyed our stay. We had a nice spacious room (4023). The food was good with enough variety for the kids. Fresh fruit was delicious. Beach is outstanding! People are welcoming. Some annoying parts were the long wait for shuttle in the busy evening time and h [... read more]aving to ask for water bottles because we didn’t get them regularly. These things are only important when you travel with kids. Otherwise, it’s a beautiful resort and an unforgettable beach. Kids loved it! Thank you to all the wonderful staff for trying to make our vacation relaxing and memorable. We will return!

Gorgeous place with some minor concerns

This is an amazing hotel with gorgeous grounds and one of the best beaches. Honestly I don't understand reviewers who behave like queens. Taking to account the price that is asked I would definitely come here again and recommend it to others. If you come here to relax and enjoy the place you will be really surprised but if you come here with an "inspection" it is better to stay at some other place in a different country and for a different price. Pros: - amazing beach (both of them) - gor [... read more]geous grounds/pools with lots of mature greenery (feels like you are at the botanical garden) and large territory (SPA section of the hotel is only for guests who stay there) - huge beautiful and clean rooms - very pleasant and helpful staff Cons: - the hotel is old enough so don't expect it to be polished. There are areas that need some maintenance - Food...depends on the day - great variety (not always) with lots of good imported ingredients however the cook is really bad as all dishes are tasteless and meat dishes are like a shoe sole - Entertainment is quite boring - songs and Cuban dances every night

Amazing beaches!

We are repeat guests at Ensenachos. This hotel is located on its’ own Cayo and does not share its’ beaches with any other hotel. It has two beaches, both at least a kilometre long. We continue to return here because of this and the wonderful staff. A great place to just relax and unwind for a week.

Average

The overall aesthetic of the hotel was beautiful, including the pool and beach area. We were very unpleased with how the staff treated us for most of our stay. We found the maids and bartenders were the nicest, and the front desk, and waiters/waitress' were the most rude. It seemed that we would go into the buffet and have to go seat ourselves, get ourselves drinks and clear our own plates. We had a broken a/c the whole week we were there, they wouldn't accommodate us to a different room, the [... read more]y had mechanics come in, bang on the vent of the a/c said it worked and left. They were there for less then a minute, we continued to complain the whole week and had no luck. Overall the room was always clean, and the resort was beautiful.

Amazing Vacation

My partner and I recently stayed for one week at Iberostar Ensenachos. It was our second time visiting this resort and this time was even better than the last. We were greeted upon arrival, check in was smooth and our room was ready in keeping with the requests we had made.in terms of location,etc. The grounds were beautifully kept and we were amazed at the abundance of beautiful flowers and lush greenery. The pool in the spa section was well-kept and there were always chairs available. With t [... read more]he cascading fountains it was very peaceful, serene and conducive to relaxation. Both beaches were stunning and we enjoyed spending time at both Ensenachos and Megano beaches. They were two of the nicest beaches we have ever seen! The people were friendly, especially the wait staff in the buffet. The food was not spectacular but was certainly plentiful and there were lots of choices at every meal. We really enjoyed the Mediterranean restaurant. We also enjoyed the services of the spa. Overall it was a wonderful vacation and we would return to this resort again!

The Right Resort

Iberostar Ensenachos has two of the best beaches anywhere. The resort is just the right size, not too big not too small, with an adult area (Spa) separate from the family area. It's a little quiet but provides a very relaxing vacation environment. Always a reasonable selection of food at the buffets (it's Cuba) and they are well staffed with polite and friendly waiters and attendants. Drink selections in most bars was good, though the poolside bars could have had more options. Beautiful grounds  [... read more]and gardens to walk through and the place is kept clean at all times. Rooms are spacious and maid service is very good. We've been here twice and plan to return!

Amazing beach

Overall this resort was ok but wouldn’t return. Beach is amazing but the resort and staff have a way to go if you want to feel really comfortable and welcome. Pool is just ok and food is blah at best. The grounds are maintained very nicely so if you appreciate flowers and greenery you’ll enjoy this resort.

Definatley Not a 5 star or even 4 star Resort

Found the rooms to be okay, however tough to get air conditioning to work and TV stopped working half way through the week, couldn't get and extra Towel or toilet paper without being interrogated . Reception Desk staff are less then excited to help with any requests. Lots of walking cause the trolleys may come if your lucky ever 30 minutes. Food was not that good and the resort was out of pop one day and chicken the whole week, a la carte restaurants where out of most items and food that you cou [... read more]ld order was less then desirable. Buffet restaurant had dead flies everywhere and tables and chairs where stained and dirty all the time. Pool and beach where the highlight but sand fleas and Mosquitos where rampant .

AMAZING RESORT

Resort was excellent and amazing. Some times public washrooms were short of toilet paper and/or hand soap but nonetheless did not take away from it being an amazing resort. Room was well kept and our chambermaid Yuri was out of this world. Made us feel soooo special as every time we returned to room there was a special arrangement made by her with curtains and bedspread. Spectacular, so talented. Food was good and satisfying and service as well. Again they also made us feel special.  [... read more] We sometimes even had our table waiting for us and was also sometimes decorated with a special arrangement of flowers just for us. Grounds were spectacular, sooooo tropical, beautiful and magical. Only comment would be that the lighting from rooms to main area be more well lighted (we were at 2525). Beach at Megano was BEYOND EXCELLENT. Debbie was absolutely right about its beauty and calmness. Our only critic is not enough shelter for shade, major shortage of huts. As we had to put an alarm to make sure to find a spot and the draw back with that is that you are on vacation and should not have to put alarm. Our sunset cruise excursion was also amazing, catamaran, supper and dolphin show. We loved it so much we intend on going back next year and inviting friends along with us. We also want to mention that on bus taking us to hotel they did not have English welcome brochures from Sunwing. And on bus coming back guide only spoke French.

Some disappointments

We were excited to make this trip as friends of ours had just returned from this resort and spoke highly of it. Check in went smooth considering we were early. Our rooms were fine, no complaints there, house keeping could be better, lack of changing towels and sheets. Our first disappointment was at breakfast. We arrive to no bacon, no bread, the rolls were rock hard, can't blame the cooks, they're working with what they have. Dinner, we're surprised with lobster, steak, pasta station, however t [... read more]hey only offered meat filled pastas, but the meal was satisfactory. They then ask you to fill out a survey abiut the service and food, how coincidental. The next day we went to exchange our beach towels for clean ones, they don't have any, at 9am?? This went on for 2 more days! Then there's no beer for a day, then no draft for 2 more days. The entertainment, actually lack of, was disappointing. Always look forward to beach and pool side entertainment, they have it on a schedule, but no one does anything. The Japanese restaurant was good, the Italian was disappointing, the Mediterranean was ok. Overall, if you're looking just to get away and don't mind these announces then it's acceptable. But if you want more than just the basics, I would not recommend. I'm rating service a 5 star only because of the cooks and the waiters, Yuri was great, but not for house keeping.

I love this resort

Let me preface this review by saying I've been to the Caribbean about 15 times, stayed in Mexico, Antigua, Jamaica, Bahamas, St Lucia, Dominican Republic and Cuba, and the Iberostar Ensenachos is the resort I would recommend the highest, having been there 5 times now. We are a family of 4 (2 adults and 2 kids, although on this most recent trip, our kids were considered adults). What I like about the resort: - It is on an isolated part of Cayo Santa Maria (actually its own island called Cay [... read more]o Ensenachos), so there are no neighbouring resorts - i.e., no one comes onto your beach! - It has 2 beaches: one is one of the 3 most beautiful natural beaches in Cuba (according to the tour guide), and the other beach is protected by a large reef, resulting in little-to-no wave action. - snorkeling can be done right at the beach - the scenery is beautiful - never seems to crowded - it is *not* a teenage party place Bad things about the resort: - it is a long (90 minute) drive from the airport - it's Cuba, so the food is not great. However, the food is better at the Ensenachos than other resorts I've visited in Cuba - the entertainment is not great (everything is singing and dancing...so if you like that, then good)

5th time to Ensenachos

This was our 5th trip to the Ensenachos resort. We were not disappointed. Check in was fantastic. Our request for room location was fulfilled. The staff are the very best. Friendly, attentive, hard working. I found the buffet food to be a little more lacking than in previous years but none of us went hungry 😊. We had 2 a la cartes..Italian was ok, Mediterranean was phenomenal... best meal of the week.

Very nice resort

Quite large resort and most suitable for people that have no mobility issues. The buildings are well maintained and rooms nice, large with separate bathroom, shower, toilet, entrance and storage areas. Service mostly excellent. Buffet good variety with lots of fruit, dairy and all regular food items. Bars have limited choice of international drinks. Beaches are probably some of the nicest in the Caribbean, snorkelling very limited. There was always a shortage of shaded areas at the beaches un [... read more]less you go there after 4 pm. Gym has good variety of equipment. Extensive grounds, very well kept, lots of trees, plants and flowers. Overall we like this resort a lot.

Disappointment!!!

We 've been having vacation at Santa Maria "Iberostar Ensenachos " since opening.It was named then "Royal Hideaway". We could see every our visit that quality and service is getting worse but was kind of satisfying. Our last vacation in April 2019 was very unpleasant. The room service is super poor, we didn't have towels for shower, beach towels weren't changed for 3-4 days until we brought up complaints, bed linen wasn't changed for whole week, after room " cleaning" still sand on the floor.An [... read more]d you feel it due no usual sleepers into room. Food quality and variety poor as well.We 've never seen in 5 stars resort complete absence of butter.Instead we were offered some unknown substance which even doesn't melt in mouth...And the last and the most inoying -moskitoes bites. Everyone whom we met there was covered from head to toe. So, our conclusion- not going there anymore . There are tons of options to spend $4 K for one week vacation!!! THANKS

Needs allot of work

The grounds of this hotel are in rough shape, loose wires hanging from outlets, man covers holes but only have covered!! Dangerous Beach was stunning but not hardly any huts to get out of sun as it was very hot. Lots of chairs at the pool Kids club was awful, this was a family vacay with young kids, so dissatisfied that there was no kids club. It was closed, weeds everywhere, dirty, fence starting to rot, paint peeling of fence and hut. None of fountains were working, no water in them at al [... read more]l, the boardwalk to the beach was not safe at all, there were lots of loose boards, broken boards, loose railing, and some spots no railing This resort was a joke, def not a 4.5*, more like a 2.5* Talked to lots of people who go to this place every year and said it really went downhill in a year and they were very disappointed as well. The pool food bar was discussing as they had litterly 2-3 items to pick from. Always never had anything on the menu, always said they were sold out but twice we were the first ones served!!!!!!! We watched a wedding on the beach which was beautiful but they put the chairs to close to the ocean and the waves had the chairs all wet but can you believe this, the shuttle forgot to pick them up to take them back to the reception. They had to walk all the way back in the heat and their gowns and heels!!!!!!! Shuttles were always broke down. Lucky to even get one Stay far away from this place. So sad cause we took our kids and theirs on this vacation and it was their Christmas present so very unhappy

Great Hotel, but starting to show its Age

We have been multiple times to this specific resort, and noticed that from last year (2018) to 2019, there was a remarkable different feel. While food isn't a high point in Cuba, you could tell the overall food quality dropped from just a year ago with less variety to choose from, and less offerings of premium products (lobster was only offered once during our 2 week stay). The rooms were starting to feel their age, some being damp and moldy smelling; definitely request a second floor room if  [... read more]you can. Having said that, we continue to go to Iberostar Ensenachos for the beautiful beaches and wonderful service, not for the food or accommodations. You still have a choice of two beaches, Megano and Ensenachos. We feel that Ensenachos beach is the more calm and beautiful of the two (less rocks and shells you walk on as you enter the water and also less of a riptide), but the trade off is that Ensenachos is further away to get to. The resort used to rake up the seaweed in the morning, but I guess beach maitenance has declined. Its these little differences from the previous year that leads us to observe that the quality has declined. But in the whole scheme of things, we go for the wonderful weather, white powder beaches, calm and shallow turquoise waters and wonderful service. People will always be picky, just depends on what you personally are there for and what your holidays priorities are. All in all, family had a fabulous time!

Beautiful resort

My boyfriend and I returned from Iberostar Ensenanchos on April 18 after being there for a week. Sunwing did a good job both ways and the resort is beautiful, very lush, well kept and the wildlife there is abundant (made for great photos!). Both beaches are top notch, the service was outstanding throughout the resort and our room (2610 Spa section) was clean, spacious and comfortable. The food was fairly typical for Cuba (good but not great) though to be fair we can only comment on the main bu [... read more]ffet as we opted to avoid anything that involved scheduling! (including the a la cartes). Be sure to partake in the lobby bar Pina Coladas and Cappuccinos! We enjoyed the spa pool at the end of long days at Megano beach (the closest beach to our room). The only downside of this resort for me was the snorkeling- it's my favorite thing to do on vacation and I've found the snorkeling better elsewhere (such as Holguin). As an English-speaking Canadian I felt like a minority at this resort- many of the tourists were European, many from France and even Russia, many were Spanish-speaking and there were many French Canadians (meanwhile my French spouse fit right in!). This is a resort that people tend to visit repeatedly and I can see why. I will also return at some point. Two thumbs up from me!