Relaxing

Staff are wonderful. Beaches are the best as always. Clean rooms. Small resort perfect to relax and enjoy. Will be going back for sure. Cuba is such a friendly place to go. 2 hrs drive to hotel but worth the drive. Only bad thing was getting to hotel at 11.30pm and arriving back in Toronto at 1230 in the morning.

Very nice resort

We were very satisfied and very impressed. The staff did all they could do to satisfy their guests. There was never a lineup for dinner or at any of the bars. It was quite windy and therefore not real hot at the beach but the pool was more protected from the wind and was warmer

Nice place

The hotel overall was very nice to stay at. Would we go again? Yes we would. But, here are some thoughts. Last year we stayed at the Melia Buena Vista and in comparison the Royalton food was much better and so was the grounds and the entertainment. At the Melia Buena Vista it was quieter, the beach huts were nicer, and the water was nicer because you could do snorkelling and we love snorkeling, the rooms are much nicer, and the butler service seem to be better. If I had to pick between the two [... read more] I would pick the Royalton because of the food.

Loved Royalton Resort

The grounds are beautiful and there were grounds keepers out every day keeping it that way. Also liked the size of the resort (never got lost even once lol ). The food was fine except for the beef. Why do they always over-cook the beef? Do they not know that the longer you cook beef, the tougher it gets. I found this at all the other resorts as well. A little lesson for the chefs is in order. Will be back again! Ed

Great resort, Staff, AND FOOD!

My Wife and I had a fantastic time at the resort for our Honeymoon. We were there for 11 nights. I was mainly concerned about food quality, as typically I haven't had great success in Cuba. Well, the food was different every evening, and all quite delicious! Entire staff was helpful and friendly. Our toilet was broken off and on for about 6 days, but the technician and butler were quick to provide assistance. Beach was amazing - sand unparalleled. Only thing I could say is bring your own p [... read more]illow.

Paradise!!

This was a return trip and we were not disappointed. From the minute we arrived until we left, we were made to feel very special and welcome. Upon entering the lobby were were greeted by our previous "Butler" Diana, who seemed genuinely happy to see us, as we made our way to register and then on to our room, we met many more staff members from our first visit and they remembered us too! How amazing it was for Lily (one of the lobby bar's waitresses) to welcome us and remember the table we u [... read more]sually sat at last year! The new employees brought new excitement to the resort as well. Thank you Joana & Tizy, you are amazing! We miss you all. Until the next time Royal Cayo Santa Maria. Dawna & Patrick

Royalton Cayo Santa Maria Paradise

as soon as you arrive at the Royalton you are greeted and treated like royalty. Someone surprisingly already has your luggage and you introduced to your butler who immediately welcomes you and accompanies you to your room . No waiting at front desk in long lines for check in . All staff is very warm and welcoming and the rooms are impeccably kept and quite spacious. Butler service is always available at any time of the day . It is up to you to use their services and not feel like you are imposin [... read more]g . No buffet is available only a la carte restaurants which are all booked by your butler . No waiting in line early morning to reserve the restaurants . Ocean is crystal clear no rocks or seaweed . Also many palapas available and no waking up early to reserve your palapa. Overall highly recommend resort only 122 rooms so you get to know the other resort guests . Great place to relax and recharge your battery. Great bar service with full local and non local alcohol. Would definitely go back . It was our second time there in 2 years .

OK resort, needs some renovations.

Service: Best service offering I've ever had. This hotel basically includes all the "options" other all-inclusive resorts offer, such as room towel service, a beach waiter - both food and drinks, and free boat rentals. It's relatively tranquil, never feels crowded. Ample space at the beach, I've never waited in line, not even for the check-in or checkout. Feels premium, for the most part. They serve Chivas in the main bar. Can't complain. On the other side, waiters "forgot" my order multi [... read more]ple times. I would ask for a glass of water and a coffee, they forget the coffe for example. Or I ask for an Alexander and a coffee, again the same thing. The live music every single night was awesome, though the musicians sometimes appear to be chosen for their looks first and ability second. Food : Loved the smoked salmon and the croissants in the morning. Could have a bit more variety in the fruit department though. The hotel lists a buffet in its description, but there is none. What they do offer, is access to the Memories buffet next door. All of their 3 restaurants are a la carte, and there's no pictures of the food before you order. I've been suprised both negatively and positively, multiple times. Misleading, and dissapointing for me personally, since buffets are one of the main reasons I go in resorts. Facilities : The hotel does show its age. Our room key cards had to be reprogrammed every single day, sometimes more than once. The toilet seat was so worn, it had permanent black stains on it. The view from the main lobby towards the ocean, while great, is tainted by dirty / dark cracks in the concrete around the pool. 80% of the palapas had huge holes in them, so you could never cover your body completely in the shade. It does need renovations to feel like a proper 5+ hotel again. Overall : The hotel caters to middle aged to older individuals. It does have a nice service offering, but the service itself can sometimes be a bit lacking. Breakfast is complete and efficient, but the lack of a buffet is disconcerting.

OK resort, needs some renovations.

Service: Best service offering I've ever had. This hotel basically includes all the "options" other all-inclusive resorts offer, such as room towel service, a beach waiter - both food and drinks, and free boat rentals. It's relatively tranquil, never feels crowded. Ample space at the beach, I've never waited in line, not even for the check-in or checkout. Feels premium, for the most part. They serve Chivas in the main bar. Can't complain. On the other side, waiters "forgot" my order multi [... read more]ple times. I would ask for a glass of water and a coffee, they forget the coffe for example. Or I ask for an Alexander and a coffee, again the same thing. The live music every single night was awesome, though the musicians sometimes appear to be chosen for their looks first and ability second. Food : Loved the smoked salmon and the croissants in the morning. Could have a bit more variety in the fruit department though. The hotel lists a buffet in its description, but there is none. What they do offer, is access to the Memories buffet next door. All of their 3 restaurants are a la carte, and there's no pictures of the food before you order. I've been suprised both negatively and positively, multiple times. Misleading, and dissapointing for me personally, since buffets are one of the main reasons I go in resorts. Facilities : The hotel does show its age. Our room key cards had to be reprogrammed every single day, sometimes more than once. The toilet seat was so worn, it had permanent black stains on it. The view from the main lobby towards the ocean, while great, is tainted by dirty / dark cracks in the concrete around the pool. 80% of the palapas had huge holes in them, so you could never cover your body completely in the shade. It does need renovations to feel like a proper 5+ hotel again. Overall : The hotel caters to middle aged to older individuals. It does have a nice service offering, but the service itself can sometimes be a bit lacking. Breakfast is complete and efficient, but the lack of a buffet is disconcerting.

Beautiful Resort

The people were wonderful and the resort itself was beautiful and well laid out. Distances between lobby and beach was fine. I did miss the option of a buffet, particularly given Cuban food. Great sleeps.

Great, great, great vacation!!!!!

This was our 10th resort trip, 7 to Cuba, 5 of them in Cayo Santa Maria. We love, the feeling of peace we get as soon as we land. A washing of all stresses. The people and feeling of safety that we get is why we continue to return. We always book 4 star and better, and this was the best of Cuba that we have experienced. We just want quiet time and no schedule. The things that we thought would be negatives, soon became the things we enjoyed most. We like to keep to ourselves, so we were not sure  [... read more]if we would appreciate butlers, entertainment during our meals and the fact that this resort didn't have a buffet meaning all meals had to be scheduled. Day one, we appreciated them all. The butler service was not intrusive at all. They were always outside the rooms in the morning to ensure that you enjoyed the previous day and were ready to help with anything you needed. After that, if you needed them, you could contact them in the lobby. They booked your meals, ensured your fridge was filled with anything you wanted, ensured your towels were changed..... In short, they allowed you to enjoy your vaction to the full extent, not waiting in lines. The rooms were very nice and very well maintained. Grounds were always well kept, beach was beautiful. The food was wonderful. I had some of the best meals ever. Entertainment was great. This is the first time that we watched all shows and they really are very talented and entertaining. And as always, the people are the best. I got the feeling that it was a previledge to work at this resort. They all took pride in what they did. It was a wonderful, relaxing, vacation. Just can not say enough about how much we enjoyed the holiday.

Amazing vacation

From the moment we arrived I wanted to plan my return trip. My expectations were exceeded in all areas. Our butler Noelvis made our trip very special. I will request him on our return. The resort was noticeably better than all the surrounding resorts.

Cuba's Gem

Lovely small resort suitable for older crowd. The grounds and accommodations were immaculate with very friendly helpful staff. The butler service was a nice touch. I found the food to mostly be average but some meals were incredible. If you enjoy lobster this is the place to be - had four dinners of the delicious crustacean. The Sunwing representative was very helpful. Buy the VIP airport lounge package for the trip home - it is a must. The pools, cabana's, gardens and of course the beach are al [... read more]l amazing. An ocean view room really does mean ocean view - it was spectacular. Only con is the long trip from the airport to the resort - about 1 1/2 to 2 hours depending of traffic - which includes horse carts and bicycles.

All this and a butler too??

The Royalton was truly a memorable experience to take home. The flowers, the people, the amazing beach and two pools that were pristine, welcoming and such a delight. The staff simply couldn't do enough for you. It was a spectacular vacation spot!

Amazing Resort!

We were guests at the Rolyalton from April 1st to April 8th, 2016. This is our 2nd time there and we were amazed with the place once again! The people, maids, gardeners, butlers, waitresses and all the staff are great! The food was better this time than the last. The beach is beautiful as well as the pool. The only recommendation I would make would be that the staff NOT allow people to reserve the beds at the pool. There should be a sign that indicates "No more than 2 hours MAXIMUM". I was there [... read more] to reserve a bed at the pool (7:30am) and there were others that did the same but only came back in the afternoon. They reserve the pool bed for the afternoon and go to the beach in the morning. I noticed one bed was reserved for more than 6 hours before they returned. I know it is possible to move their stuff, but most people do not want a confrontation while on holiday. This is very disrespectful and selfish on their part. Other that that it was a perfect holiday!

Love the Royalton Santa Maria!

There is nothing bad to say about this resort, except getting a few bug bites. The food is great, the service is the best, rooms clean, white sand beach is clean and you can always get a shady spot! The butlers we had, Ana and Alexis, were always on hand to fulfill your every request. The grounds are well kept. This was our second time to the Royalton and it was very nice to be recognized by some of the staff, we will definitely return!

Amazing staff and service

Location is good with big beautiful beach. Rooms are large, well appointed and kept clean. Food is good but somewhat inconsistent. It is the staff that puts this place over the top. Kind, friendly and so helpful. Everyone asking if there is anything you need or anything they can do for you. This includes maids, wait staff, butlers and management, who are readily available and approachable. There was nothing that we asked for that we didn't receive - promptly and with a smile.

Still the best deal in Cuba but sliding downward

My second time there. They are starting to show some age. portions in the restaurants have gotten smaller, always out of something and the staff are not nearly as attentive as they were in 2014, time to move on.

Great resort!

Royalton Cayo Santa Maria is a small resort on one of the best beaches we have ever visited. The grounds are perfectly maintained and the food is good quality. The best thing about the resort is the staff and service.

Amazing Resort, amazing service and staff.

Amazing Resort, amazing service and staff. This resort is for you if you need quiet rest and being pampered, staff are amazing and helpful. Management is trying very hard to make your stay wonderful!!!