Grounds and pool were well kept. Anyone with mobility issues would be challenged by the stairs/steps to go anywhere. Rooms are in need of updating, especially the bathrooms, mould throughout. Many infrastructure problems while we were there, no water to toilets for two days, we had no hot water for four days. Lack of public washrooms, you were lucky if any were even if working, the poor maid had to flush them with a bucket of water. Bring your own TP Maids do an excellent job of cleaning rooms. All staff were very friendly. Food was adequate, but on buffet nothing was ever hot. Lots of seafood, pasta offerings. Windy/red flag the whole time we were there, beautiful beach for walking. People need to know this area is almost 1.5 hr bus ride from airport

My husband and I stayed at this resort from January 7 to January 14/2026. This was our second vacation at this resort and we will definitely be returning. The last time we were there was in 2024 and imagine our surprise when we entered the lobby of Sanctuary and saw the faces of workers who were there in 2024 and THEY RECOGNIZED US and greeted us with a huge smile, big wave and hugs. We were so touched by this. We felt we were back with family. Our room was lovely, including a very comfortable bed, comfortable pillows and an excellent shower with an abundance of hot water. Our butler Odlanier did everything in his power to ensure our stay was great including obtaining reservations for us at à la carte restaurants each evening. I also have to give credit to the director Cesar for keeping everything running in a very organized way. We found there was an abundance of food with an excellent variety. In fact, we did not notice any shortages of anything at this resort. We even had one of our favourite types of Scotches to drink in the evening and we very much enjoyed their Spanish Coffees. The grounds at this resort were very well kept, the pool was very clean and of course the beach is one of the most beautiful we have ever seen. With all this said we will be returning to this resort in the future and one of the main reasons for saying this is how we loved the Cuban people working there. We truly felt with many of them they were part of our family!!!

The gardens around Sanctuary at Grand Memories Santa Maria are extensive and meticulously maintained. Our room was spacious and very-well appointed. The maid service was excellent. The butler service was attentive and very professional. The food and beverages were abundant.

Beautiful Beach, grounds, huge pool, helpful staff, buildings in good repair and every amenity close by, the perfect location for some R&R. Very good food selection, excellent service; I really couldn't have asked for anything more or better. I spent most of my stay right here at Sanctuary, but all of Grand Memories was available to me. Only about a five minute walk, but the shuttle was nice.

Well well lets talk, I have been to Cuba over the years about 40 times and yes I have seen the ups and down of this country. This resort I would say is a solid 7 with always room for improvement The pools and beach are beautiful and clean with great views. There were lots of beach lough chairs in great shape in both locations. The problems that I seem to see is the workers and management lack of common sense. Some examples in the Sanctuary lobby doors opening into the buffet area the workers started sand the edges of the door on their hinges rather removing these doors and removing them outside, so as they sanded the paint and dust where flying all over the buffet and into the kitchen over the food. Later at supper one of the cooks came over to the trays of food and stated to spray insect repellant over himself and the food. The open buffet was a fly magnet with no control it's like they have given up on this problem. As you can tell by me the food hygiene could be a lot better.IE common sense! If I had to pick to save time I would go to Cayo Coco same beach better airplane times. No 2 hour bus ride both ways. Now did I get my moneys worth, yes I did for what I paid.

Visit: Aug 20-27 Reception: They really try to reduce the check in time and succeed at least in the low season. Rooms: Most rooms are in a good state of repair but some need attention Food: "Food is not good in Cuban Resorts" Forget yourself, this rivals places in Canada. I haven't had better steak at a la cartes anywhere and the buffet had an excellent quality selection. Staff: Friendly, prompt and courteous Biting Insects: They fog morning and night but you still need a good repellent Linens, Bed Cushions,Chair cushions: This area needs some attention. Towels weren't always replaced, the seat cushions and bed spreads need a cleaning/repair schedule, many are soiled and not changed all week. Shuttles: Electric vehicles that require charging. So. No excuse. Shuttles should be prompt especially in the low season. Area for improvement: the buffet could us some fly control, many flies. Try some fly paper or screen the hall at both ends of the buffet, Beach: White powder, beautiful sunrises, well maintained clean and raked every morning. Airport: Long ride, Cuban government please make the island airport international

This is beautiful resort, this was my third time there in June 2, stayed there for a week, the weather was magnificent even thou it was showing online rain and clouds, you'll never know. All week was sunny and beautiful. Good room service, good buffet, love the bar and snack bar with yummy sandwiches at the beach. So bad there is no more coconuts at the beach anymore, we really loved it a lot!!!!! The stuff are very nice and helpful. Beach is the best. I'll definitely will be back again at this resort.

This was my second time to this resort, was much better a couple of years ago.... I just have a couple of complaints,,first is, this time never had lobster unlike last time which was included at one of the elecart... Also no included late checkout...they wanted 25 American an hour....been to Cuba over 25 times...usually as a repeat customer, they throwing a late checkout

Good resort. Grounds are well maintained. Food was OK, always something to eat. I didn't like the open buffet due to food being exposed to flies. Beach was very beautiful. Staff not very friendly. Long bus ride. I did get sick, so remember to bring gravol and imodium.

Great beach!!! The food was below average. In the buffet restaurant nobody takes care of hygiene. Rooms are outdated and beds are old. Usually bed sheets were stained as well as bath towels. If you don’t tip them, they will say we run out. Every single day you can expect different things to be missing. No bier, no caps, no gin, etc.

Not sure where to start our stay at santuary cayo santa maria was amazing. As for the staff they amazing and absolutely beautiful always ready to help.The beaches had to be the most relaxing part of the trip. I would suggest any one to visit cuba. Lucy Melo

Im shocked at the positive reviews. We found the food disgusting. You have to go to the grilling stations and get something fresh, buffet is cold and lots of flies. No specialty restaurants, they all serve the same meal. Not much else for food options. The beach has a Food shack and there is one by the pool. They serve a sandwich only, nothing else and seating by the beach is pretty decrepit and dirty. Pool was dirty and lots of algae, tiles missing everywhere. Never once saw it cleaned or chemicals added. No toilet paper ever in public bathrooms, sometimes not even a seat. Cold water in our room for three days until we asked to move, which they did. Ran out of beer and rum and vodka all the time, though bartenders are selling bottles under the table then they water down the rest to make it last the day Property is old and dated and steps, stairs and railings lose and dangerous. Positive - our room was clean always and the butlers were all very good, especially Jose who went above and beyond.

Meh Front desk awful Food cold Bugs in my room ..said they were ants. Tub way to high No hot water in the block finally got fixed 2 days before vacation was over. Garden view back of building looking at garbage. Beach amazing Communication regarding events very poor. New manager Eric didn't even care to ask how everything was knowing we had no hot water. New manager was watching soccer while there was only 1 bartender working the lobby bar that was busy . The manager didn't even jump in to help. That is poor management! Bus was almost 2 hours late bringing us to airport therefore we had no chance to use the VIP lounge which we paid extra for. I was really on the fence about this hotel but now writing this review its clear. I will never go there again let alone recommend it to anybody.

This was my 6th time at this hotel in the past 2 years. Used to be very nice and no shortages. I was there the first week in January 2025 and all was still good. My last trip at the end of March was not that good. Bars did run out of rum and even cola. Food is very limited. Mini bar now only consists of 1 pop and 1 water per day. They are pushing the prestige members and are mainly catering to them. I was only able to get into one Ala carte all week, it was always full. Beach and pool chairs can be hard to get. Most of them are taken by 7am even though no one is around. Beaches and staff still amazing and good service.

The people in the beaches were amazing. The facilities were extremely unsanitary. There was no hot water in my building the entire week. It was also no power for two days. A lot of shortages on beer and rum. The food was terrible. And the bugs were definitely out biting. I would consider this hotel to be a two star. I’ve stayed in Cuba about five times now and this was one of the worst. We weren’t able to get an à la carte dinner. A young lady was electrocuted in the pool while we were there. I have nothing really good to say about the resort other than the people and the beaches Were great..

We found there was more variety in food choices over at Grand Memories . That is where we tended to eat at dinner time . Sanctuary had a beautiful big pool but we are beach people and it was spectacular. The staff were absolutely amazing always making sure you had what you needed .

We loved our 11 day stay at Sanctuary. Our room was ocean view and in need of some updating but it was very clean. There is a wonderful market not far from the resort that has restaurant's, shops and a bowling alley. Staff were so amazing and helpful The beach is breath taking. My daughter was lucky enough to see 6 dolphins we will definitely go back to this resort

Beautiful beaches , amazing staff all around , the butler service was amazing , saw dolphins swimming by on the beach ,the pool bar had a great atmosphere , we enjoyed the sunshine so much we didn’t make it much later after dinner , we had an amazing day deep sea fishing ! Only complaint was the sanctuary buffet had so many flies as it was an open air buffet but we had access to grand memories buffet and the selection was great ! We are hoping to go back in November ! Thank you trip central and Monique for making booking such a breeze !

Grounds were well kept. Beach was amazing!! Food was decent just limited variety. They also ran out of beer for 2 days and limited on vodka and tequila. Rooms were nice and our maid did a very good job every day. The workers were all very nice.

We had a great time, the butlers are amazing will do everything they can for you love Jose. I sent an email to the resort before leaving and they gave me all my requests. Lovely people. The only issue are the flies on the food, the buffet is better at the grand memories

Beautiful beach Facilities need upgrade immediately specifically rooms Grounds not bad swimming pool nice There was a lot of flyes Annoying Mainly restaurants Definitely not 4 stars I wouldn't recommend to anybody In this condition

This is my third time to this resort and still haven’t been disappointed! Rooms are always clean , staff is friendly and amazing. The beach is stunning! No shortage of food at this resort, if you can’t find something to eat at one buffet go to the next one!!!! I highly recommend Santuary Grande Memories!!!!!!

This resort had everything we needed. Our Oceanfront room was 5 minutes to nice pool great beach and buffet. The buffet food was cold. The Worst thing about this resort was the Volume of music at the pool ! That ruined our stay. Long travelling days

From the airport you go on a bus to the hotel but it is guided by a local and never seems long. Once arrived at the hotel you are greeted by staff that take your luggage over to the lobby where you can get a drink and a snack (pizza) if you come in late like we did. The staff are so friendly. We are then taken to our rooms when we are ready to go. The rooms are spacious, clean and the views are great. The maids are truly safe to have in your rooms. They definitely do a great job keeping the rooms clean and leave you a kind decor gesture on the bed daily. I always bring gifts for the staff as they don’t have all that we do. So they truly appreciate it. The white sand beach is long to walk or run or swim in the clear water. There is staff to assist with getting lounge chairs at the beach and they had a waiter serving drinks as well this year. The food is delicious and there is always something to eat. I am dairy and gluten free and I eat well when here. The chefs are truly amazing. The night life shows are always a pleasure to go see. Don’t miss the Michael Jackson’s event. There is a shopping village within walking distance to go to as well. Here there is a fitness gym for workouts and a spa as well as much more. The entertainment group also works during the day with yoga, games, dance lessons. The pools are clean and the set up is great here. I would highly recommend this hotel to anyone going to Cuba. This was my second visit here and have made some friends that I stay in touch with when I return home. Grateful for sure a great place to enjoy.

- There is no 24 hour snack bar as stated - No turn down service - No robes in our room - Our bedding, towels and furniture were all stained despite changing rooms and having our room made up daily - The toilet seat was hanging off the bowl and you would have to flush over and over - Our patio door on ground level did not lock, then when we changed rooms our deadbolt did not work - Despite having a ‘do not disturb’ sign on our door, the cleaners tried coming in two different times - There are NO amenities in the room - They didn’t want to provide us with wifi, until I showed them it was included with the resort package - There was no airport shuttle to the resort despite it being included in the package; we nearly got left at the airport when we landed at midnight - There was no VIP drink dispenser in our room (butler later told us they don’t do this anymore) Our mini bar was also never restocked with water. - The shower/tub was all rusted and falling apart - on our 5th day, no one in our bungalow had running water. When I went in the lounge/main area on our first night after a 30 hour delay, we were told the snack bar would be open - there was absolutely no food just a pizza area that staff had to work. There was a staff member asleep at one of the tables in the lobby. When woken, he did not want to make us anything to eat. There was also a surprising amount of cats literally everywhere including in the buffet area. Also, none of the should be hot food is covered, which then allowed the flies into everything. I didn’t want to touch anything. I didn’t want to lay in the soiled bed. I didn’t want to eat anything. It was very disgusting and it feels like it was all a lie.

The people are great, the pool bartenders awesome. There are significant issues though, and they all come down to a failure for management oversight. The Sanctuary buffet is covered in flies, and the occasional cockroach. The buffet at the main Sanctuaries area is indoors and is 3 times the size, with much better food. I recommend taking the 5 minute walk over there for the major meals. The late-night pizza station has ingredients uncovered, and the pizza guy is often in the back at late night, and you kind of have to call for him. In the meantime the flies have settled into the food for the night, and a cockroach once sat on the cutting board. I was saw a fly swimming in the pizza sauce ! TripAdvisor censored the pictures I posted of it all. I guess they found them too extreme. The cocktails are all haphazard at best and served in plastic dixie cups for the most part. The Spanish coffee was served in tiny wine glasses. You will absolutely not get a decent cocktail or margarita anywhere in the resort. Margarita: there's no blenders and no triple sec, it's tequila (when they have it, rum when they don't) served without salt, in a dixie cup, with juice from a machine. If you take advantage of the "sign-in" program over at the Resonance you can get free drinks there and they are made properly in their sports bar. The Resonance Sports bar had the best blender margaritas I've ever had in Cuba ! There's golf carts that leave from the main Grand Memories lobby after the nightly show. You have to sign in at the their lobby, and then the drinks are free. They bill Grand Memories monthly, simple based on headcount for the month. There are bedbugs and sandflies, so be prepared for it. I had to demand a new room after I discovered blood dripping in my bathtub, fixtures falling off the walls, and garbage on the ground outside my balcony. It was like they were testing to see how bad a room they could give someone to see what happens. It was disgusting. The upgraded room was better, but they are all way past their best before dates. The Cuban solution though is always to keep slapping on more paint and ignore the root of it. The public bathrooms are terrible, the pool bathroom is soaked in urine every day. The men's at the Theatre was the most disgusting thing I had ever seen in my world travels. After I posted picture of it on TripAdvisor they condemned it and nailed the door shut....easier than just renovating it (i.e. management fails). Management needs a dedicated daily resource on all bathrooms, and they need to be hosed down 3 times a day. That is correct - they need to hosed top to bottom and with disinfectant. Walking in a floor of urine is the daily pool bathroom experience. So, management problems are over the place but the people are always nice and smiling, so I give them credit for that. Would I go back ?...only if there was a major deal to be found, because the negatives sadly outweigh the positives.

This was our first ever time visiting Cuba, and our experience at Sanctuary at Grand Memories made it perfect. The resort is beautiful and clearly well maintained. Rooms were spacious and clean and the housekeeping staff was wonderful, leaving beautiful surprises for us in the room. The beach is absolutely breathtaking! What stands out most about the resort though, is the amazing staff. They are the kindest and most accommodating people I’ve met. From the kitchen staff, to the amazingly talented entertainment staff, everyone was awesome. Especially the Butlers. We had the pleasure of having Diego and Rudy as our butlers and they went above and beyond every day to make sure everything about our stay was perfect. Rudy helped my fiancé plan a birthday surprise for me on our last night, and made it a night to remember including my very own fresh made cake!! Rudy is just an awesome guy and made our visit wonderful!

Rudy was the BEST staff member we encountered on our trip. He was super helpful, kind and made it the absolute best. 100% recommend this resort for all the staff, but especially Rudy. Thank you to all!

We did not experience any shortages. They had eggs each morning, lots of bread, pizza by Carlos was very good. A la carte was good when opened (every other night). Service was very good. Beds and pillows were unusually comfortable for Cuba. AC was terrific ?Hot water was excellent. No shortages of wine, sparkling wine, beer, gin, vodka, whiskey or rum. The beach is the absolute best! Beautiful pool (music was usually very loud though). Grill at the pool and beach for lunch was great. Our only negative comments would be that the resort is very tired and is in need of a lot of maintenance. I believe Sunwing is a part owner and the should be ashamed that they don't do more to improve the property. We realize that it is challenging to acquire certain things in Cuba, however, if you go a couple of resorts down the beach to The Royalton, you find that it's still possible to maintain a hotel in Cuba. We understand that they are a more expensive property, but if the don't start looking after the Grand Memories they will pass the point of no return. Overall a good place to go if you are looking for a low cost vacation. You'll enjoy yourself if your expectations are aligned with the price you pay . We'd definitely spend the extra next time to go to a better maintained property such as The Royalton. You get what you pay for. Don't forget your bug spray, depending on the time of the year you will need it.

The water and beach was amazing. The food at the adults only side was actually quite decent! The rooms could use some updating and renovations but, we barely spent any time there so it was fine. The service was great! They tried to make the stay as comfortable as possible.

So happy to be back. Can't say enough good things about this resort. Yes there were shortages but I go to be with the lasting friendships I have made with the staff and for the beach/ocean. Sunwing VIP'S stole the show with special food, drinks and entertainment only for them while paying guests went without. I get that they are trying to increase occupancy by selling the resort to the Sunwing reps in the hopes that they will send their clients here but it did put a sour taste in the mouths of the other "regular" guests.

Bathrooms were disgusting…never any toilet paper …always over flowing Food was the worst in over 20 visits One couple got locked in their room…over 3 hours One of our guests got a cockroach in her mouth No cushions on the seats at the buffet at sanctuary .. but there were at Grand memories… we just had staples to sit on No wine the whole 2 weeks ..except the last day Last day had no choice but to eat at the buffet at Grand Memories….we paid more to eat and drink at Sanctuary …should not have been forced to go elsewhere Bartenders at the pool were downright rude I can go on but I voiced my opinion… I am done with Cuba Sunwing reps say it’s management, management says it’s Sunwing Someone should get their act together they are destroying what used to be a great vacation

Hotel is well is well laid out and easy to get around. Many of the staircases have no railing a danger for seniors Room was fine with comfortable bed. Which was nice considering we had our bed made up 1 time in 7 days after much discussion with butler. Toilet paper and towels were in short supply and needed to be chased. Shower was a safety hazard. High step into a slippery floor tub with no hand rails. Food and restaurants were fine with good service. We ate at a la carte every night Pool very shallow only 90cm so you can't float on a noodle Beach is also shallow long walk out. Beautiful sand Staff were attentive. Maintenance was clearly lacking every where.hotel will die a death by 1000 cuts. So sad

Well folks, can’t understand the negative reviews, yes it maybe a little dated but the room had power, running water, hot water, toilet that flushed, air conditioning (that worked great), comfy bed, extra pillows, blankets, bar fridge( that worked great), water, safe, TV,(not sure if it worked never tried it), the resort itself has great landscaping, bars had alcohol, lots of places to get food, beaches awesome, pools great, to all the complainers about the food, you are fussy, there is plenty to eat always pork, chicken, seafood, rice, potatoes, beef roast, all the veggies, bread, and desserts including ice cream and donuts made in front of you, and the staff was absolutely amazing, the best butlers I have ever had, Richard Diaz Peralta and Odlanier Urquiola, tip these guys and they will go out of there way and get you whatever you need, please watch out for sand flies early in the morning and evenings, you really don’t realize till you get home how bad it itches, take bug spray, other than that you will have a great time

Overall this is a great resort and suited my friends and I wonderfully. The only real shortage was wine otherwise something at the buffet for everyone - grounds, beach, pool all excellent. A la carte restaurants not exceptional but provide a good alternative to the buffet. We stayed in the Sanctuary section and worth the additional cost. Staff courteous and friendly.

The beach is gorgeous, the sand is white and not hot, the activities on the beach and by the pool are great. The staff are amazing and friendly. The maids keep the rooms clean and the water boy comes and adds more water to the mini fridge daily. The entertainment was great. The items that had shortages were toilet paper, in the rooms and in public bathrooms. The public bathrooms were dirty, and the men’s washroom in the lobby was closed so the women’s was shared. The buffet was Cuba food, lots of chicken, pork, rice and wieners. There was powder eggs and shortage of bread at some points. I knew going in that the food wasn’t the greatest so I brought spices and peanut butter, jam, syrup, and spices. We did have to move rooms when we first arrived at the room was not clean, and the toilet seat was round but the toilet was square. Just remember in Cuba the toilet paper does not go down the toilet it goes into the trash can.

I find it very clean and the workers are really good and friendly. They are hurting with their supply of food and drinks since Covid and the different embargo’s. But there was always something to eat. The staff have their hours cut due to the lack of tourists. Talking to them, they feel it will take them a few years to recover.

Everything is in close proximity at Sanctuary Grand Memories, from the beach to the Pool Bar is less than 2 min walk. We were in Building 57, and our Butler Carlos was outstanding and made our stay relaxed, worry free and as comfortable as possible, he was always around and available to check in and help. The little pizzeria was ideal for a late afternoon snack and our favorite lunch was the poolside or beachside grills. Our favorite a la Carter was Italian. We looked forward to seeing Delvis at the pool bar every day and Abrahan and Lebise from the entertainment team were amazing, we made some great friends in Cuba! It was an awesome experience!

The bathroom wall had bubbled from moisture and mold, as well as shower knows. Shower headway broken and stains on the sheets. As per the people that work there, they were kind ad the pool and ocean beautiful. Foood was terrible, an smel of b.m (septic?) Hear cafeteria was rough.

Wow people are delusional…this is not a 5 star resort! 2 star at best! Your butler encourages you to give a 5 star review…joke! You get what you pay for! So many shortages to list and the food is well…awful! Stained unwashed sheets and blankets…no beach towels on the daily…etc etc! The beach is 10/10 but good luck finding shade due to the lack of beach chairs and tiki huts! Oh and the word “sanctuary” is not as advertised especially when the crop duster plane sprays you daily on the beautiful beach! Pathetic! Please stay away at all costs!

it"s a big hotel with multiple ways to walk, the room is big and acceptable, the employees are helpful with smile, the foods in the restaurants are quantitative but not in majority at our taste;Dishes are missing ingredients to make them better. Sunwing team is very professionnal. the pool and the beach lovely.

Nice facility, staff great. Everything needs a coat of paint but that's ok, this is Cuba. Room was nice. They need to get toilet seats to fit the big, square toilets!. Buffet at Sanctuary was small in comparison to Grand Memories, but staying at Sanctuary we had access to both. No bacon or eggs most days, burgers were non-existent. Not many veggies of the type we are used to. The fish was mainly basa and tilapia. We won't touch either after watching W5. More carts are needed around resorts. At check-in times they were not available, a problem if you're handicapped. The female entertainment director at Sanctuary was a rude, pushy person, not a credit to the resort. I will elaborate if the resort contacts me. Both of us were sick. Many others also. Not worth the reasonable price if you can't trust the food! No water at the market. How do the restaurant staff wash their hands and dishes? In a bucket !

I was told by Carol our travel agent that she had been there before herself that it was all wheelchair accessible. Nothing about this resort was accessible. There were steps to get into every unit of rooms. The main lobby and pool bathroom are definitely not accessible either. I am a below knee amputee and couldn't take my prosthetic along and there were 9 of us that booked because she had told us its definitely wheelchair accessible. The people were great the staff great too!

So, I'm a methodical person and I'm going to give an in depth review from someone who has travelled extensively and a lot of the time, as a solo traveler. When traveling on my own I tend to pay more attention to everything going on around me. Food - I know everyone warns you about the food, which it totally valid, this is not 5 star dining. I have some food allergies so I'm limited to seafood and poultry. I almost always patronized the buffet and stood in line for the chefs cooking up fresh fish and calamari for lunch and dinner...this was delicious as was the fresh grilled chicken. The breads were baked fresh and they were tasty. I ate little else from the buffet other than some spring rolls occasionally and I always took items from the salad bar. The few times I strayed from the fresh food in the interest of saving time lining up, I was not impressed. Breakfast was a difficult meal for me as I don't eat pork and that was the majority of the offering. There were real eggs available half the time and powdered eggs available the rest of the time. There are no jams, jelly's or peanut butter to put on your morning toast, so bring that with you as many of the tourists do. I did go to two of the a la carte restaurants and they were both disappointing. Selections, the a la carte located at Sanctuary, can be skipped in my opinion. A lot of the food was the same as what was available on the buffet, just plated nicer. I had the Mahi Mahi and it was overcooked, I couldn't be bothered to stay for dessert. The Italian restaurant at Grand Memories was also disappointing. It was a four course meal with two different apps both made with cheese & tomatoes, the soup tasted like I was eating a bowl of Alfredo Sauce and the actual pasta course was bland. The coffee dessert wasn't worth the calories. Beverage - They ran out of coffee every other day. As someone who needs a coffee in the morning this was a bad start to my day. They advertise that there is coffee in your room but there is only the coffee pod machine as they can't get the pods in. The juice for the drinks are like orange and pineapple TANG, super sweet but still watered down. The house alcohol barely tasted like it was in my drink and you need to ask for a better quality liquor each time. The better brands are hard to come by at the bar as the staff sell them to tourists under the table, which is why I think they are constantly out. Service - Staff were nice but they constantly expected to be tipped every single time you interacted with them. You come across 15-20 staff per day and they all have their hands out. I was actually asked on two different occasions for a tip - once from the bartender at the beach bar and the other time from a staff that served me water for lunch. Now, I tipped staff throughout my stay for good service, which is what tipping is was meant to be, a thank you for good service.....not just a given because someone exists in the hospitality industry. I'm not oblivious to the economic circumstances that the locals live with so I brought some medical items that are hard to get, to give away, while still tipping cash. I can tell you that after the beach bartender blatantly asked me for change/a tip, that I did not feel comfortable going back to that bar. Not that I need to explain but I happened not to have any change on me when heading to the beach. Sanitation - This was sorely lacking. There is no toilet paper in any of the public bathrooms, you need to bring your own. The sheets on one of the beds in my room had blood spots on them, luckily I had two beds in the room and the other one was much better. I found 2 cockroaches in the bathroom, which I killed. There were splatters of something on the headboards and some of the walls, almost like dirty water splashed there when mopping. I had my room serviced once while I was there and all they do is re-make the beds with the same sheets and sweep the floor. Beach - This is why you go to Cuba, it's pristine. There's a long stretch that you can go on a nice walk on and there are NO vendors trying to peddle their wares. The red flag was up most of the time I was there but I was still able to enjoy the water. There are tons of sand fleas so make sure to bring repellent. As with many all inclusive beach destinations, make sure to get up early to save your beach chair both at the pool and on the beach! This is not a destination I would go back to, both the resort and Cuba.

This resort is great. A little dated and could use some paint but rooms very clean, Staff absolutely amazing. Good good. A few shortages like eggs but they made due. Advice to bring your own coffee pods(nespresso) Beach is so stunning, no rocks. Smooth white sand and turquoise water. We had so much fun, ate well drank lots and made new friends with people and staff.

hotel was clean staff was wonderful not a safe place for people with disabilities or mobility issues bathtub was very deep difficult to get into grab bar was too low and it was loose toilet seats did not fit the toilets and were not tightened therefore sliding all over no food shortages but we both became very ill....food borne illness hot food was not kept hot enough thermometers should be used to ensure food is safe it was a waste of money i lost 2 days of a vacation because i was sick/ Coffee was not hot

This is the first resort my wife and I have been to in Cuba. It was about what we expected. The beach and ocean were beautiful and the staff were good. Everything else was just OK. The food is alright.

Rooms are not cleaned lot of flies and mosquitos . Food not good flies over food Beaches are good . Pools are ok House keeping service poor Wifi connection bad You can't get nothing more for the money you paid

The beach was simply stunning, with walkable sand and warm, calm water on most days. Aside from the occasional "shark warning" that required a quick exit from the water, it was a perfect beach experience. The hotel pool was also great, with a fun and lively afternoon atmosphere. While the hotel could benefit from some upgrades, it was generally acceptable. The food was decent unless you are a picky eater. There were occasional shortages, but they were not significant. However, the public bathrooms were often in poor condition, with the women's bathrooms frequently being "out of order" and lacking toilet paper. This 7-day all-inclusive vacation is priced at under $1000 and offers great value, especially for those just wanting to relax on the beach.

The grounds and pool area are lovely. The beaches are gorgeous - bring bug spray with DEET. The room was incredibly clean and the room attendant (Heidi) was friendly and helpful. We opted for the butler service as well and Glendy Vidal, our butler, was extremely efficient and took care of our needs.

Let me start by saying this is definitely not a 4.5 star resort. I have been to 3 star resorts in Cuba that were far more superior than the Sanctuary. I chose this resort to celebrate my wife’s 60th birthday based on the reviews and pictures on the website. I wonder if these reviewers stayed at the same resort! The rooms were in a very sad state. Nothing worked in the rooms. Sliding door would not close properly and lock. Toilette did not flush properly. Hardly any water pressure for showers. Soap dish in shower falling off wall. Mirror hanging by a thread. I’ve seen better furniture in a homeless shelter. Towels were all stained and smelled terrible. Bed sheets were also stained. Even pillow cover was stained. I called front desk to ask for new pillow cover 4 times!!! Nobody came. Hallways and stairs were never cleaned while we were there. Sewage odour seemed to be present throughout the resort. Near our building and beside buffet. Workers constantly expecting tips. What most tourists don’t know is that the staff you are tipping does not get that money. The government collects all the tips. So think about that next time you tip. Food was typical Cuban fare. They really need to do something about the unsanitary and unsafe conditions in the buffet. All the food is outdoors and flies all over all the food. Plates, cutlery and glasses filthy. They should invest in dishwashers or train staff how to properly wash these items. Uncooked meats sitting in the heat at the two grills for too long. This buffet would fail an inspection on all fronts. . Building exteriors look like they have been through a war. They are so run down it makes the resort look sad. We were also surprised at the lack of good Cuban coffee like we have experienced in other resorts. Cappuccinos tastes like weak regular coffee. Espresso tasted like watered down coffee. I am second generation Italian and can honestly say the coffees we had at the Sanctuary were horrible. I was very disappointed. The beach is this resorts only positive it has going for it. This resort needs a lot of work before they can claim to be a 4.5 star hotel. I would never return to this resort and would not recommend it to anyone considering coming here for their next vacation. I hope you take my advice and stay away from this resort.

The place is not ready for welcoming guests. The lack of basic sanitation is unacceptable. Hotel Lobby toilets hardly have toilet paper, soaps for hand washing… 8 out of 10 times we found no toilet paper and no soap. Staff appeared showing less concern. The “run- down” conditions were seen everywhere, particularly in our room with dirty hallway ( spilling foods…), broken toilet cover, uncleaned floor, desk, door…, several hours with no running water, sewage smells….

We enjoyed our stay. Staff was very friendly. Rooms were a nice size and had everything you needed. We had a beautiful ocean view room. They keep the beach clean and you can always find a lounge chair. Drinks were great and plenty of food choices. Did end up with a few bug bites so if you are sensitive to them have bug spray. The grounds are very well kept and lush.

Beach at this resort is stunning!! My husband and I had a great time. Room was very clean, food was good, staff is very friendly and helpful. With Sanctuary package you can go to two other resorts. We had a great time, i would go back ? Couple downsides: a bit far from the airport (2ish hrs) and not much entertainment.

In the past, my experience with Cubans has always been fantastic! A culture rich in kind, welcoming people who wanted to share who they were. This time, I felt how their reality affects their lives. They were tired, had difficulty engaging with people, and even among themselves, there was tension. Be prepared because the food is phew. I know Cuba and this time, it felt like it was the third world at the buffet. Even the eggs lacked presence, and the traditional fries. I don't know if it was just my hotel (4.5 stars) or generalized but if you eat less meat than the others, it will be difficult. Bring what you can't live without. I've seen a lot of guests get pretty sharply corrected when trying to remember the name of their drink or using a Spanish word wrong :( The employee who worked at the bar of the main hotel acted with disrespect towards his female colleagues, I saw it on several occasions and the discomfort created was palpable amongst us. As for the rooms, ours had no hot water. We notified them for 3 days in a row and had to run to the staff to find out what the situation was, nobody knew and it took a lot of our time running around to fix it. We demanded a room change on the 3rd day, honestly, I felt like they didn't care much :( The water boys should knock at least 3 times before entering the room. It was just not happening. They slightly knock once (quickly), put the card in and enter the rooms in 2 sec, not enough time to actually figured it is indeed at your door. We were caught naked before we were even sure the knock was at our door. When we went to the reception, they suggested we put a chair at our door to prevent this from happening again. We had to consult with the other hotel reception to get a card (do not disturb), our hotel did not have them and had no interest in making our stay safe and comfortable apart from telling us to barricade ourselves once in the room. This is unacceptable. Over all, even though we were able to enjoy a few activities and a few good people/employees (the bar tender right beside the theater was amazing) at the resort, I feel that the general experience which was unpleasant largely colored our vacation. We will never go back for sure.

Beach is beautiful, pool is beautiful, buffets were clean with plenty of food. Although, a lot more selection at Memories which is just a short walk or cart ride...recommend Memories buffet for dinner over Sanctuary. Awesome hot lunch sandwiches at pool and beach grills. Pizza grill location at both Memories and Sanctuary...very good pizza!!! Bugs were very bad this year (Nov2023) so bring your bug spray. Staff were wonderful and helpful. It was handy to have Butlers avail for questions, but would be just as easy to go to the lobby. No airline reps at Sanctuary, anything you need from them, you have to go down to the Memories lobby....minor inconvenience. Overall, wonderful 10 days. Sanctuary is very peaceful being 18+. 1.5 - 2 hr ride from airport to hotel is scenic, but long compared to other Cuba locations.

Travelled to Sanctuary with family in late November. resort is small and intimate with excellent staff service. Beach was spectacular- shallow clear warm water. Room was dated but very clean and hot water plentiful. Food selection was limited but good - fresh fish, beef, pork and chicken always available at lunch & dinner grilling stations. BBQ at beach grill was excellent! Standard cocktails were always available like sangria, pina coladas and Ron collins. Only downside was lack of live music and evening entertainment at Sanctuary. Overall great value for under $1000 per person. Eight of us had wonderful time. Muchas gracias Sanctuary!!!

We stayed in Sanctuary adult part of Memory Resort in Santa Maria; you couldn’t ask for better weather, ocean and cool silky sand ..oops the sand fleas were eating us alive and no amount of alcohol taken externally or ingested could help! the resort was fumigating grounds in the evening so we had no mosquitoes or flies.. everyone always talks about food how scarce it is or tasteless it is but I found it palatable and surprised at the choices of fish mussels chicken pork little steaks on daily bases.. there were some fruit and vegetables but very limited.. staff at the resort super nice and trying to be accommodating but with limited resources the place is totally rundown with shabby rooms, uncomfortable beds,doors that don’t lock properly, bathrooms that are grungy! Loved the spirit of entertainers but hardly any shows and of course constant misinformation Lt hand doesn’t know what the rt is doing …

I cannot say more about the staff. Wonderful, friendly, helpful. I was at this resort in March, 2023 and returned this November 2023 as I enjoyed it so much. Disappointed this time. My husband and I changed rooms 3 times during our stay. First room our door was busted with an actual hole in the door/lock. The second no A/C after power came back after 2 hours. 3rd room was perfect. Garbage left around the buildings, not picked up by landscapers.

The hotel was what we expected for Cuba and for the price it was a good deal (under $1,300 for 2) Overall, needs some TLC. Room: Clean, hot water and good water pressure. Damp but expected during the rainy months. Fridge did not get filled except for a water bottle. No robe as stated on website (not a big deal). No alcohol in room as stated on website (again no big deal). We asked to move rooms for a better view and they were very accommodating. Front desk: Helpful with any questions and wifi (need to get wifi password and log in everyday). Public bathrooms: Clean but no toilet paper ever (bring your own) Lobby: Not grand, very small and underwhelming. Buffet: Only had buffet for breakfast. Lunch was al a carte and dinner required reservations or walk over to Grand Memories for buffet. Snacks: only saw pizza and chicken sandwiches at the beach and at the pool. Pool: Clean, nice that we had the choice of two pools - one with the pool bar and one without. Music was loud and mostly played hard rock music. Beach: Beautiful Food: We didn't starve. Not a lot of variety but we found something each day at Grand Memories buffet (fresh grilled chicken, pork and fish - no beef). Ran out of eggs a couple of times. Fruit was limited. Drinks: White wine was good. Ran out of beer a couple of days. Spanish coffee at the lobby - very good. Mixed drinks were very sweet and they only had diet coke. Lots of bottled water available. People: Everyone was very friendly we had no issues. Please remember the gardeners they work so hard and get no tips or gifts. I would recommend the Sanctuary if you are getting a good deal and know what to expect when travelling to Cuba. From what I saw it is in much better shape then the Grand Memories except for the buffet. Bus ride from airport to hotel is almost 2 hours (something to consider) and for that reason would probably not return....makes for a very long day.

Great, relaxing vacation. You can't beat the beaches anywhere. If you go go to the outdoor bar at sanctuary, Darrell is the best bartender he really took care of us and made our trip absolutely amazing. We went when the resort was actually slow but we preferred it. Staff is very friendly. I had message the manager ahead of time for our anniversary to do something special for the room that ever ended up panning out, but still had a great trip.

Hi everyone, as I already did a review on Grand Memories Hotel and mentioned there Sanctuary, cuz I was staying twice in Sanctuary Grand Memories. It's amazing only adults place , magical paradise in everything!!!! I personally highly recomend this place. I'll be back there for sure!!!! Great ppl, nice rooms, good food, perfect service. Love this place!😍

This was our second time vacationing at Sanctuary at Grand Memories! We loved it just the same. We realized our timing was a bit out of season and some adjustments were made (lunch and dinner buffet were served at the main hotel). The staff was friendly and helpful as usual. We had our butlers from last year remember us and conversations were pleasant and it was like talking to old friends. Accommodations were welcoming and we didn't have any problems worth mentioning (minor inconveniences). We vacation in Cuba for the beaches, not the food. The food is repetitive, sure, but New Year's stay in the Bahamas was just the same for almost triple the price... There is always something that calls to us and we do not go hungry. The staff is friendly and willing to help or get someone who could help. Overall, the experience has been awesome this time around too and we are planning to return!

It doesn't seem to matter what time of the year it is, the grounds/gardens always look great. We'll done gardeners. Pools always clean and pool bar well stocked. Beautiful beach &smiling staff everywhere you look. Is there any wonder why I keep going back?

-Room has been full with cockroaches and mosquito -Asking for drinking water bottle, there were no one to place in our room- call at reception multiple times but no response and hang phone, I WENT TO RECEPTION AND ASKED FOR DRINKING WATER. -No proper room cleaning and bed sheet was with cockroaches' blood spot. - There were no vegetarian options in food and restaurants are very dirty and full of with flies. If you ask for any special food such as Pizza- they make faces. -One day we went to eat Pizza and asked for 1 more pizza then chef told me sorry oven is broken and not able to make another one. After 20 mins he told me your pizza is ready. so strange.. -Only 1 lady butler who named Mercedes, she is so king and fulfill our requests such as drinking water and asked everything is ok in your room? She organized and booked multiple times dinner at restaurant for us. She is amazing.

I am always amazed at how beautiful this resort it. The grounds are always so well kept. The service is second to none and the beaches are spectacular. Armando, Pablo, & Delvis are the absolute best at the pool bar. No shortages of anything that I could see.

It was a beautiful beach and hotel and people were nice. However, i fell on my second night due to lack of lightning and safety signs.Medical attention was there but all i got was advice to get to town clinic. Now i am facing a long rehabilitation for my foot.

Hello, overall we thoroughly enjoyed our time at Sanctuary Grand Memories, Santa Maria. So much so, we plan to go back there again. We even have our favorite room picked out. We loved that it was adult only. The beach was absolutely amazing, the staff were very friendly, efficient and hard working. There was a good choice of food and drinks and the market near the resort was a great place to shop. Going in off season (May) was wonderful as the resort was much quieter as was the airport when returning. The negatives were: The fact that the food is not covered over so there are flies everywhere and I had a blackbird side swipe me on my head when I was sitting outside for breakfast. I do understand it's difficult for the hotel to do anything about this and that eating inside is an option of course. In the rooms, the bathtubs could use updating to walk-in showers. A couple of people almost fell stepping out over the tub. Also, the sink in the room smelled. We felt the music festival went on for too long, 4 nights while we were there, same music more geared to young people. Would prefer to see more stage entertainment. Also, there were a couple of workers who we found upsetting. We don't know names. One day when walking to get breakfast at the buffet at Sanctuary, a chef on the breakfast bar was yelling at one of the waitresses. That should never happen in front of customers and other staff. Also, one at the female bartenders at Sanctuary told the male bartender serving us to give my boyfriend rum when he requested brandy. My boyfriend got his brandy.

The following statements reflect solely my personal viewpoint. Nice hotel, great beach, good food, OK drinks, and a fantastic staff. And tons of mosquitoes and sandflies. In spite of very unpleasant gaseous mixture, which is sprayed twice daily around the hotel by fogger machine, they just eat you alive. Alongside this nuisance, the non-stop, excessively loud music emanating from speakers situated in every bar, restaurant, poolside, beach area, and even from the personal speakers of wait staff and tourists proved impossible to escape, even during the night when poolside revelers were present. If you can tolerate these inconveniences, you will undeniably adore this resort. I am not coming back.

The hotel was adequate for my needs. The staff are very friendly and lovely. Except for the lack of variety in food it was a nice relaxing time. Of course, it’s all about the beach ! The grounds are kept up nicely and things seemed quite clean, especially my room !

We just returned from 10 days at the sanctuary Santa Maria. The beaches and ocean were amazing. The resort was clean and staff were friendly however we paid more to stay at the Sanctuary and yet went 5 days no milk, ran out of beer, tea, and bread. We had to ask for our towels to be changed and the same with our bedding which wasn’t done. They closed down one of the cooking stations in the sanctuary so we had to have most of our meals at Grand Memories. There was nothing special about the a la carts as they served the same food as the buffet. Ourselves and many others we had spoken to where very disappointed.

I been in Cuba 7 times. Always had a great time. First time in this hotel first time without my kids just my boyfriend and I. Beach is perfect! The resort is well taken care of! Our room was amazing! The maid the butler did an excellent job! All the staff actually been amazing. We had no issues. Food was fine we love breakfast and usually skipped lunch. Definitely enjoyed the fruits! So delicious! From our part no complaints. We had a fun relaxing week. Definitely recommend it!

Although this hotel is older, the amazing staff, from our butlers to the entertainment staff, made our stay so much fun! Cubans are such warm and friendly people with great smiles all the time. They are hard working and try to make your stay the best it can be. There was plenty of good food and a large variety. Of course, some days they ran out of some supplies, like milk, beer and vodka, but the next day it was back. Always fun at the pool! And the beach AMAZING, with bars and food huts available. Beautiful weather every day. The golf carts are great shuttles back and forth between hotels and the market. My first time in Cuba and I would definitely go back. No obvious effects of COVID at this hotel.

Beach is amazing. Pools are good. Grounds are beautiful but starved for water which prevents them from being lush. Food is repetitive - you had better like pork, ham and fish as there are few if any alternatives for each meal. Eat the food that is fresh prepared for you, not the food sitting in the steam trays. The Sanctuary buffet is located outdoors and pest control is an issue on food sitting out in steam trays. Be prepared for things to be delayed and unavailable. Coffee/Cappuccino's are great from the lobby bar. The check in/check out desk people are hit and miss on whether they will be helpful. The expect you to deal with the butlers. The butlers .... everything is supposed to go through the butler. Ours greeted us with call me if you need anything (no phone number or how too contact), I"m not working tomorrow. No introduction to whom the Butler would be the next day, hours of operation/availability and how to contact or what their job entails. Seems like a make work job at this resort. Rooms - our first room was tired (I can accept that) with a comfortable bed. It smelled of mould. We were eventually moved when we complained of the cigarette smoke from the adjoining rooms being sucked into the air-conditioning and circulated in our room. They are non-smoking rooms. Bugs are to be expected in the tropics, very disappointed with the roach crawling up the shower wall. Our second room was clean, neat, in good repair but had the worst mattress (springs poking through when you lay on it) ever... that was not something to battle over. It's Cuba... you can't expect much is frequently heard among guests. Based on the ratings for this resort and their associated Friends of the Sanctuary group on FB, I had misaligned my expectations for how this would be in reality as it sounds really good, but comes off barely adequate.

What an amazing 10 days. First I would like to thank our butlers Javier and and another young lady, i cant recall her name. We were in building 59. They were amazing, right there in the morning asking if there was something they could do for us. Set up our room with flowers and a bottle of wine for our anniversary. The beaches were like no other. Baby powder white soft sand. The food was great for Cuba. This was the 9th time in Cuba and this will be our winter retreat. I love the people of Cuba and this is a good example of the love they have.

The Sanctuary at the Grand Memories is a great resort. Rooms are clean. Beach is amazing. Food is decent, you have the option of going to the Grand Memories to that buffet. Sandwiches at lunch from the beach and pool grill are good. Entertainment team does a great job performing daily and nightly. All the resort staff are amazing, very friendly and speak English well. They go out of their way to make sure you have everything you need.

Staff amazing ! But this can be said about every Resort in Cuba. been to Cuba at least 12 times (different resort each time), so we have some experience on this. The Sanctuary section of the resort is too small for the amount of people they expect to use it. 1 small main building with not a lot of seating. They have roughly 10 pool side cabana's for people to use . If you are not up by 6am to "save" one you are not getting one. The beach is gorgeous. Again, the same issue with the beach. People start going down around 5am to save chairs under the cabana's. by 730am they are all gone. If you don't mind walking you can find a cabana further down the beach on one of the other 2 memories properties you have access with Sanctuary pass. You will NEVER go hungry or thirsty. They may have some shortages, but they always make due. Never an issues for us. We enjoyed walking everywhere. They do have carts that can take you, but used that time as some exercise. The little market is just a short 10 minutes down the main path. Japanese restaurant is a definite visit when your there. We will not be back just for the fact we both enjoy smaller resorts and the issue with finding a cabana was too much of an ordeal.

So apparently to the Memories people 24 hr roomservice,and fully stocked fridge means something different. Had to beg for water in room,asked butler 3 times 1 day,finally got a bottle from bar,asked about beer,was told on its way when they knew they hadn't had cans for over a week....butler are trained to say yes no matter what,personally you get more out of a Walmart greeter at home.Yes it's Cuba,yes there's shortages,but when you can 10 km away on a catamaran trip and they have skids of beer,that's not shortage, that's the resort being cheap All that aside ocean there is beautiful,pools and staff were good as they dealt with what they had. The towels you threw on floor were recorded for more use,left glasses on balcony 1st day,still there last day

We stayed in the sanctuary. The rooms were always clean and the mini bar always had water, beer and soft drinks. We were very surprised to have our own butler. He was extremely helpful in booking our A la cart and a spa for me. He was always there to answer any issues we had. There was three of us there and had two separate rooms. My mother (90), my brother and myself. My mother had some mobility issues and she was made very comfortable by the staff. The food, well its Cuba and we were always nourished. Definitely try the chicken sandwich at the beach. BEWARE OF THE HOT PEPPERS IN THE CONTAINER BESIDE THE GRILL! There was no wine, which was a bit of a issue for me but they made some great drinks with rum. They made an amazing Spanish Coffee when they had milk. Their Margarita's were wonderful. We went one evening to watch the entertainment but had a lot of difficulty getting a shuttle back from the theatre. So we watched the evening entertainment in the small lobby. It was wonderful. All in all it was a lovely experience.

We where there the week of Feb 28 – Mar 7. Sanctuary Memories is one of 3 memories resorts that are end to end to end. Grand Memories and Memories being the other 2. Sanctuary is the premium of the three with Memories being the lesser and Grand being in between. We arrived at Sanctuary around 11pm and entered the booking desk area in the lobby. The lobby, lobby bar and booking desk where small and looked like something out of the 1990s. The lobbies in the other resorts were very large and very modern and welcoming. While we where checked in somewhat quickly, we were jammed into a small area waiting to get our room. We found out later that there was food for us, but the staff did not inform us. We were also told we would receive a welcome drink, which also did no materialize. Our bags were taken to our rooms by staff (perk of being at Sanctuary). There are 6 buildings that surround the pool. Building 61 is closest to the beach. The rooms are dated, but a good size. Each building has 3 floors. We where on the 2nd floor facing the ocean. While we could see the ocean over the trees, I’m sure the view from the 3rd floor is better. Yes … no elevators. Each building has 1-2 butlers that take care of any needs and make a-la-cart reservations. Our butlers were Jose and Dayan. Both are great guys and went above and beyond in their assistance. I asked what the difference in Sanctuary and the other resorts … Sanctuary has butlers, no kids and 20% off spa. The rooms are air conditioned, but for some reason towels and sheets where always damp. I confirmed this with many other guests. The bath tub is very narrow and the bottom of the tub being about 6-7” off the ground, which made it tricky getting in and out. The grab bar came off the wall in my hand. The staff, beaches, pool and grounds where great … everything else not so much. Noting that this is Cuba, my expectations for the food where very low … and the actual food was lower than I expected. Pork is the main meat with some chicken. I got tired of eating pork. All the a-la-cart restaurants did not have any choices … everyone got same meal … usually grilled pork. Sometimes, they had beef, but it was tough as leather. There is only 1 a-la-cart at Sanctuary, with the others being at Memories. You would think that being in a tropical climate, that there would be fruits abound … no such luck … there was only papaya and guava. All the juices served are made from powder mixes and tap water. They have 24hr snack bar, but only serve pizza (tomato sauce looks like tomato juice). There is a shuttle service between the 3 resorts. It is a 15-20 min walk from one end to the other. We felt the food at the buffet was better than the a-la-carts … more variety. There are a couple of food huts around the pool and at the beach, but they only serve grilled pork. The bar had beer and rum, not much else. No vodka. The lobby bar had mix for various mixed drink, but I couldn’t get a mojito anywhere. The ice cubes are made with tap water. Between the buildings and the pool is a walkway and bushes. Every night and morning there is a truck that goes along the walkway fogging the bushes for blackflies … they are using pesticide. You can smell and taste it. I feel the fogging pushes that bugs towards the pool. I ended up with bites all over my body. The on-site doctor helped with the itching. I had asked the front desk if there was a schedule for the so-called evening shows at the theatre and general ‘need to know’ around the resort. Neither was available. The odd night show they had was not acceptable entertainment. We had to constantly ask other guests and our butler about where things where and what was going on …. Including the towel exchange. Overall … I’ve been to worse resorts, but I’ve been to better in Cuba. Would I go back … NO.

From the time we landed to the day we had to leave this beautiful location we were given the best hospitality. On the bus, which was easy to locate, to the hotel, from the airport, we were offered drinks for the ride. When we arrived at the hotel we had butlers to take our luggage to our rooms. There was offerings of drinks and homemade pizza to great us. The hospitality was always so friendly, kind and so supportive for our stay. The wait staff at our daily buffet meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner, to our mini bar supplies every night (beer and water included) to the amazing entertainment staff that kept us going all day long with activities. The entertainment group did yoga, workouts, games, dance lessons, to nightly entertainment nights at the theatre for the guests to enjoy. Wow they never disappointed us either. Food was available all day long at the buffet with a wide variety to choose from. Even with food intolerances I was able to eat with no issues daily and the food was delicious. There were A la Cart dinners offered to us daily from our butlers. These dinners were not buffet and more of a dressier night out setting for dinning. This is optional and at no added expense but needed to be booked in the mornings through our butler. Every day we received room service with beautiful bed art for us to enjoy. The cleaning staff always left the room clean. Bring the butlers, cleaning staff and mini bar staff items they can use, such as hygiene items/children items/clothing etc, to support themselves and their families; they will treat you very well to show their appreciation. For the wait staff, bar staff, beach chair support workers, entertainment staff bring small dollar bills in US or Canadian for tipping. They earn it for sure with all they do for us visitors. Beach chair staff will help find you good lounge chairs in the mornings and sweep them clean for you, for an enjoyable day at the beach front. The pool also has lots of lounge chairs as well as a swim up bar. I would highly recommend this hotel for the experience of visiting Cuba. Definitely a great stay from beginning to end. Yes the food was amazing daily!!!

This is my second time to this resort and it is spectacular!!!!! The grounds are beautiful well maintained, the beach is absolutely beautiful!!!! Water is turquoise clear with very little seaweed, lots of little fish and white sand you can walk for miles !!!! It could use a coat of paint here and there but after Covid it will get there in time, but still amazing!!!! Most amazing staff, friendly and very kind . Butler service was spectacular and the entertainment crew keeps you on your toes !!!!! Lots of laughs !!!!! Food , well let just say I have been to Cuba many times and I was blown away with the food !!!! Always something to eat and it was delicious!!!!! Sanctuary Grande Memories Santa Maria is a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 🏝️

Very pretty grounds, great staff nice beach til half was washed away. The music and games at the pool were very loud every afternoon same as at beach many different radios trying to drown out the other one, they need a quiet pool

Our stay was better than we were expecting. Reviews can be very mixed and it's hard to see past a bad one - but we really didn't have any negative experiences. The beach is absolutely incredible and 100% the reason to go. The food is quite bland but we still always had options (I am vegetarian and still always had something). We did bring our own condiments and brought them to each meal which was really helpful, as I don't think there are any there. We were able to eat at an a-la-carte almost every night, which was nice. For drinks, they really old have rum for hard liquor but lots of beer and wine (no diet sodas). The bugs on the beach were REALLY bad at morning and night, so definitely bring a good buy spray and after-bite. I got so many bites no matter how much I tried to prepare. The only negative I could find would be that the "Sanctuary" section of the beach is very small, and people get up at 5am to save chairs. It's frustrating to get up at 7 and have no chairs available, and no one actually sitting in any of them until 10am. If the resort stopped allowing this it would be a big improvement. The pizza on the beach is incredible - definitely recommend. They accept USD and CAD for tips but if you give them CAD coins they are constantly asking other tourists to change it into bills, so it seems to be much easier for them if you get USD $1s for tipping. We also really struggled to find sunglasses anywhere on the resorts or shops, so definitely bring extras! The butlers and staff were very friendly and accommodating. The entertainment and music at the pool is very repetitive, but it didn't really matter to us. The rooms are okay, nothing special but also no complaints. The hotel is pretty far (1.5-2 hours) from the airport so you lose a day in travel. As long as you know to expect less in Cuba than in other caribbean countries, I would give it a solid 4 stars.

It was our first time in Cayo Santa Maria. It's a 90 minute drive from the airport. The surroundings were lush, the staff were helpful and charming. The food was great (we love Latin food) and the drinks were fantastic. Will definitely go back.

Staff,beach,pool was amazing. Rooms need a little update but they were still very nice!! The food was good at this resort considering it is cuba. The bus ride is a little long but is fully worth it once you get there!!

Hotel is very dated, clean but needs some tender loving care and plenty of fresh paint and renovations Grounds are well kept, such as gardens, pool is great and very large, beach is beautiful, especially on calm days Staff is the great

We had an amazing week at Santuary. The staff were all wonderful and we met so many wonderful people. We would love to mention Pablo from the pool bar, Lily from the lobby bar, Danyel from Nativa bar and our butler Javier from block 59.

Our 10-day stay at Sanctuary had a few hiccups initially but overall the beauty of the beach and the fine weather far outweighed any issues we encountered. The staff went above and beyond to make our stay comfortable. We especially enjoyed guitarist, Esther, in the Sanctuary lounge. An amazing talent. Always impressed by the world class musicians that played every night. Special shout out to Sucel, Jai, Richard and Miladie. This was our 5th time to Cuba and clearly COVID-19 and a hurricane have impacted supplies. No vodka, pina coladas or top-shelf liquor brands most Canadian bars stock. We saw chicken only once. Tilapia only fish option. Some beef but mostly pork at the a la cart dinners. Carry your own tissue pkgs as paper products are limited and bathroom tissues run out. Enjoy!

It was ok but a bit run down in my view. The beach was incredibly beautiful. The staff was very friendly and worked with what they had. The food was so and so but you could always find something to eat. The drinks were never the same from one day to the next and every bartender had a different recipe...but that was ok I suppose. For the rooms, they were clean but dated. What was strange to me was that there was just one fitted sheet on the bed. No flat sheet over it and no blankets or bed cover... There was a blanket in the closet... I still can't figure that one out.

Well it was my first time at this resort and I must say it’s gorgeous, the grounds were beautiful and well kept , pools were awesome and well maintained. Beach is wow !!!!! We stayed at the Sanctuary side (adults only) and the bungalows were older but clean , ya it could use a new paint job and tighten a few loose screws but overall very comfortable and clean !!!!! Maid and butler service were spectacular over and above what I’ve seen before in Cuba !!!! Very friendly and extremely grateful 💕. The food , well let’s just say I normally have issues with food when I go to Cuba but not this time , the food was delicious, maybe one meal was meh but for me to eat this was by far spectacular!!!!! Staff was very friendly and attentive!!!!! Only negative comment is the alacarte restaurant building needs an overhaul on the bathrooms (no toilet seats). I can’t wait to go back and I hope to see Rudy and Glendy as they were amazing people!!!!!!

My boyfriend and I went to Cayo Santa Maria for our first time. We have been to Varadero in the past but before COVID/before the shortage. The beach and ocean was absolutely stunning and probably the most beautiful I have seen so far. The staff were so so friendly and probably why we didn't mind the trip as they are so kind, and so happy and appreciative of every little thing, even if you just chat with them.The resort was dated, however it was still fine. The rooms were OK, of course if you looked closely you can see things rusting, etc, but we chose to ignore that as we hardly stayed in the room (except to sleep). We stayed at the adults section of Grand Memories, however if you are looking for entertainment at the Sanctuary, there are next to none. We would walk 5-10 minutes or take a cart to the Grand Memories to attend the nightly shows at 9:30pm, which were just ok as well. Some nights they had good shows, other nights it seemed like they just made things up on the go. Most of the time, we would just drink in the bars and talk with other couples we met. The entertainment during the day was OK, they had games at the pool with the entertainment team. We were told this resort is the "liveliest" of all Cayo Santa Maria resorts, but for us it wasn't enough. That's on us, now we know it's more of a quiet/relaxing place. As for food, the food was OK. I am already aware that Cuba food in comparison to other places isn't the best, but we made the best of it. The Sanctuary only has a buffet for meals. We learned that when you book dinners it is at the Grand Memories, which can be super confusing to navigate so we ask for a cart to take us to said restaurant. The shortage is really apparent here in their food and drinks, which of course is not the workers' fault whatsoever. Our butler would schedule us for certain restaurants but the food is all essentially the same thing with maybe a slight change to a menu. Sometimes they run out of things on random days. A turn off for us was when they could not provide daily water bottles in our room fridge. Supposedly, the fridge is supposed to be stocked but there was no room service for ordering things, and only one giant water bottle per day. Some days, when we asked for water, they said they had none left and could only provide water in little cups. This is an issue as we can't drink Cuban tap water and because of alcohol consumption, you would think we would need more water bottles in the room. There were also times they ran out of beer at around 1am-ish. Again, we are aware of the shortage and how COVID affected their tourist industry. The excursion was so much fun and very beautiful. While snorkeling we did actually see coral reefs., and fish, and even a stingray! I recommend their catamaran cruise (99 USD), which includes the catamaran, snorkeling, a dolphin show and interaction, lobster lunch (delicious!) and relaxing on a beach before returning to the resort. We spoke with other tourists who had been to Sanctuary prior to COVID and they said it was amazing and nothing like it was when we were there. I hope to return when it goes back to its former glory as we didn't mind it, but would not return with their current shortage. Would I recommend this to my friend group? No, because I know what they like and this wouldn't be for them. But it might work for individuals who don't mind little entertainment.

the staff was amazing..but thats where it ends...rooms are very tired..we had no water in our room for the first 2 days, no beers or soft drinks for the whole week in our room bar fridge.. there was no coke offered for 70% of the time we were at this resort.. they ran out of vodka for most of the time we were there, ran out of tonic water, no orange juice at bar or for breakfast, no cereal was offered at breakfast , toliet paper was used as napkins for most of the week, last 2 days we had real napkins.. our first room was terrible, we were moved on the 3rd day, better room, but again very tired..we notice the last day we were there they started painting, and sprucing up the grounds..

I am not picky, and I understand cuba is different than the rest of the Caribbean, I have been many times understanding the food and hotel quality is usually lacking. However the stunning reviews really made me think I had found a hidden gem… I did NOT! Cuba is really struggling right now economically. The food was unsanitary. Raw meat and fish sat for hours next to the hot grills with no refrigeration at all. 2/3 of the hotels on the resort shut down right before we went with zero compensation. The buffet they set up was tiny and my kids play better a La carte service than the food we received. The hotel room was run down, cracked bathtub, terrible grout jobs etc. again, that’s expected in cuba - but don’t call it a 5* resort. Drinks were ok. I’ve had worse in cuba for sure. Beach was stunning and the reason to keep going back over and over. None of the workers seemed like they wanted to be there. They acted very inconvenienced by every question unless they saw cash in your hand. “Butler service” needs to be clarified. I pictured lying on the beach being offered a drink or towel. This was not the case at all. The butler was a person who sat in your hotel room building and offered to book a La carte dinners. The mini bar and stocked fridge didn’t exist. It was a bottle of water once a day. I blame Sunwing for not clarifying that when they list their inclusions. They know what is a shortage in cuba right now.

The grounds & resort & people are beautiful. They are just starting to run things back up again after covid, half the resort was open. There is a food shortage & it really shows on the resort, same food everyday.

Went last Week Of Oct 2022, Paid $645 for an all inclusive, rooms were clean, but a bit outdated, but was ok,,fridge was restocked if you wanted with bottled water,,but no beer in fridge..food was ok,,your not going to get alot of food options,,but for sure the basics were there..lunch, supper,,pasta, meats,,pork,beef and chicken daily cooked in front of you,,every 2nd day shrimp was cooked,,,,in my many years of travel,,3 days out of the trip, they did not offer eggs,,guessing shortage,,so they made pancakes instead,,which was good,,,cooks do a great job here and work very hard...went to a couple of la carts,,international and the grill, was really surprised they had a full lobster,,,beach , i heard from the time of season,,was a fair amount of seaweed,,but staff did there best to get rid of it...nice long walks on beach if you wanted...overall for what i paid,,great value,,would recommend...only downfall, is the 1 hour and 45 minute drive to the hotel...

Website description not accurate, no privileges other than lobby bar at other 2 near by Memories resorts as they are closed, including all extra dining. There is no 24hr snack bar and you have to beg for late night snacks (stale ham sandwiches). Only given 1 bottle of water a day/room. Majority of the food was not fresh, very limited choices. Only alcohol that was available at all bars was rum, real vodka hard to find. All beer taps ran dry, bottled beer was harsh, no cola or club soda for mix, just orange pop/lime pop. Most staff great but look exhausted and are too pushy on last day looking for tips. Beach was phenomenal. Best part of the trip by far. Will not return as we had multiple issues with Sunwing that remain unresolved and feel deceived, and paid extra $100 for 2x Elite Plus seating return and were bumped to regular with no refund or explanation.

We booked our vacation based on the reviews here and I went to this resort with an open mind since it’s after the pandemic. Here is what you really need to know. -the beach is wonderful! Has always been and will always be. There is no comparison at this price point - the food is bland and repetitive. The white rice at lunch will be the brown rice at dinner. I understand that they have to use the left overs but honestly you need to bring the following with you. -ketchup -peanut butter -jam -pitas or bread cause theirs is so hard even toasted -nuts or chips cause there are barely any snacks We ate the same food for an entire week. I was extremely excited to see calamari on the menu the first day but by day 4… I can’t see any more calamari! For the food is basic, you won’t be hungry but you won’t be satisfied either. The accommodations- the rooms are in need of repair and they are extremely outdated. Clean but outdated The service- poor! I was used to the happy people of Cuba and enjoyed my interactions in the past, but it feel like they don’t care any longer and are just hunting for tips The resort- outdated and in need of repair. I would have thought with so much time on our hands during Covid that they would have taken this time to repair and upgrade their hotels. Other notes: The music sucks and is very disturbing and not you expect from an adult only resort. Typically they are classier and have soft music playing. Not music like you’re in the late night club. The wifi situation is poor, always having to ask for more wifi and constantly having to sign into use your rations. The door keys constantly stop working and when you’re going to the third floor and have to clean all the way back to reception to get your key fixed again! Very annoying. My overall opinion, is that if you are prepared, it’s a cost effective vacation but you should really only count on the beach…and nothing else We all came home sick!

Room had blood and stains on furniture, everyone had food poisoning, slushies have mould in them, clothes and food stolen by maids, and I got a rusty fishing hook stuck in my foot from inside the pool

Resort need update,but overall it’s okay.The staff was very polite and friendly.The food was very good.The beach it’s really nice with white sand,pools are nice and clean.We had great time.Stayed eleven days at the resort.