Beautiful resort, clean, tidy, well kept grounds. Food was excellent. Upgradevto luxury worth every penny. The staff was amazing. We did not want for anything. Staff very attentive to all our needs. Room were very clean. Maids were awesome.

We had a great time at this resort. The rooms and grounds were very clean and a pleasure to be a part of. The people working were very kind and fun to talk to! The food at the buffet was very delicious and quite a bit of variety. The only thing that I had an issue with at the buffet was that there were a lot of flies around. Which could easily be mitigated by putting plastic wrap on the food and turning the cups over at the tables. I believe these small changes would have made it even better; regardless, this resort was wonderful, and the beach was even better! Overall, I had a great time with my family and would definitely recommend it to friends and family.

Rooms are clean and staff is very friendly and welcoming. Service is very good and entertainment is fun. There are plenty of food/drink choices which are available to you all day and night. The beach and pools are beautiful and I enjoy my time there every time I go!

Beautiful gardens, clean rooms, friendly people. Food was good, there is always something even for picky eaters there's the snack bar which has the best chicken sandwiches and sweet potato fries. The piña coladas in the lobby are always amazing, and the atmosphere is friendy and relaxing. Family had an amazing time and we can't wait to return!

This resort has exceeded all our expectations coming in. From the staff to the food and beach front it had it all. Wonderful people and have made so many friends. Highly recommend this resort Thank you!

Cayo Playa Santa Maria is a great resort. Very clean, food was a little repetitive but all in all it was good! I loved the snack bar sandwiches and French fries. Will definitely go back! The staff was very friendly and accommodating!

I had a good time staying there, I stayed at this hotel the previous 3 times were between October and March, it was much drier and I rarely got mosquito bites, but due to the wet weather recently, I had quite a few bites on my body, I will return there except not during the wet months. I like the friendly staff there, the food is acceptable for Cuban standard, the rooms are large, I will recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a vacation in Cuba, the only down side is it takes approximately 90 minutes to get to the hotels in that area from the airport, but it isn't that bad once you are prepare for it.

Good service friendly staff Too many mosquitoes and black flies Very poor WiFi Good beaches Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxcxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxx xxx xxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxx xxxxx xxxx xxxxx xxxxxx cxxxxx xxxx xxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxx xxxxx xxxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxxx xxx xxxx cxxx xxxx cxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx

This was trip #6 for us to this resort and we are already thinking about our next one. Need to request a room with a bathtub. It's great when the pool is right outside your balcony. Great lobster dinner.

This resort is a little old, chipped paint, cracked sidewalks and such. That being said, the only issue I had was a sticky balcony door. The grounds are beautiful, flowers, palm trees, trimmed bushes everywhere. Lots of shade, The pools are nice and clean. The beach is beautiful. There were no vendors bothering you every few minutes. The staff were very friendly and accommodating. There was plenty of food. Not real fancy, but good. It is the perfect resort if you just want to get away and relax.

Our week stay was great, clean rooms, great Cuban food, lots of things to do. the resort was less populated as its winding down their busy season but it made for a great time and more one on one with staff and hotel reps. We are defiantly returning for another trip.

This was our 2nd time at Playa Santa Maria and I have to say this was the best 2 weeks we’ve spent in Cuba since we started coming in 2017! We have found a place that we will be looking to come back to. First thing is that we noticed many improvements since our first visit in 2023 from the grounds to the furniture in the lobby and beach to the food (to be fair the food is really based availability and situation in the country at the time) but we had no complaints here. Claudia Cruz Sanchez (from customer service) was pivotal in helping us make this vacation so enjoyable and special (from helping us with reserving a room that accommodated our wishes, to reservations at the restaurant to just being there to answer any questions we had0. We also got to enjoy her company a couple of times where we had to opportunity to sit down and get to know her a little more (this kind of thing makes our time feel more meaningful as we get to know people at a more personal level). Also a mention goes out to Yaidelis Calvo Reyes for also keeping on eye out for us. Our favorite restaurant was the Italian - especially the cannelloni and ice cream cake!!! We also really enjoyed the Hamburger/Pizza place for lunch (reservations required). We had the chance to attend the repeat customer dinner which did not disappoint - the food (salmon and steak) was delicious and we enjoyed the live music while overlooking the ocean. The snack bar offered omelettes in the morning (with cappuccino) and always had nicely done grilled sandwiches with fries for an alternative to the buffet or as a snack. The morning we left the resort (at 6am) they quickly prepared sandwiches for us to have on the bus as the buffet wasn’t opened yet. Thanks to Claudia Cruz Sanchez and to Lauren for making the reservations so easy and accommodating our requests. The buffet always has a good selection and we found more than enough of everything to eat. What made the experience of going for meals exceptional was the staff - at the buffet we met so many (unfortunately I don’t remember everyone’s name) wonderful people that made us feel so very welcomed and taken care of: Leo, Abel Raul, Ybel and Mario. There were so many others that always had a smile and hello for us that I am not mentioning that deserve our appreciation as well. The hotel had a nice variety of drinks available from Spanish coffees (lobby) to Marguerita’s (beach bar), crème the menthe and gin and tonic. They always offered wine (red, white or rose) at all the restaurants and buffet. Our room (a suite overlooking the ocean) was lovely. Bright and airy with lot’s of room. Yes the paint and furniture is a little dated but everything was functional and clean. The air conditioning kept us cool although during the afternoon it was nice to have the patio door open and let the warm breeze come through. The only thing that needed repair was that our 2nd toilet had problems flushing (thankfully we had 2 toilets available in the suite and were able to just flush the 2nd one with a bucket of water). Otherwise the room was great. Lot’s of closet space and storage, a table, chairs, couch, fridge, nespresso coffee maker (we brought our own pads that we got at Walmart - regular size pods worked perfectly). Our chamber cleaners Alfredo Vazquez and his lovely wife Mildrey were always there to give us anything we needed (toilet paper, bottles of water, extra towels) as well as just always being there with a hello and smile. There is a safe in the room (no extra cost) and internet always worked well - you get a code at your arrival and this stays the same for your whole visit - no limits on time and no cost. Then internet even worked at some part of the beach! I had the opportunity to have a relaxing massage with Yasmani at the spa - the area of the resort is just so relaxing with the zen music, small garden with chair and little pool which I enjoyed very much. The beach has a new boardwalk and stairs making it easier to get down to the water - there is a little edge that you have to climb down - very manageable from many areas but the new stairs are a nice addition (I would only say that the last step down is quite high - maybe the sand has eroded away making it such a big step). The beach itself is gorgeous - we swam everyday and walked both sides of the beach - we never reached the end on either side. There was always chairs available for us both at the beach and the pool. The entertainment staff was great (we usually are pretty quiet during the day) but could hear the activities on the beach in the morning and at the main pool in the afternoon. But we really appreciated the variety of the many different musicians that came through and played in the lobby late mornings and evenings. From solo musicians to larger groups (thumbs up for the group Septeto Atabey). We were so fortunately to be there at this time as the hotels on Santa Maria have just started organizing a weekly cocktail at the Plaza La Estrella on Thursday nights for Canadians. This was such an enjoyable evening - we absolutely recommend it. All free - a bus picks you up at the lobby and returns later in the evening. At the plaza there is live music, dancing, shows, food (plenty to snack on for supper) and drinks going on from 7 to 11pm. This was one of the best evenings we have ever spent in Cuba so far! We also took a day trip on the $5 bus out to Playa Las Gaviotas which is a natural protected reserve at the end of the island. Well worth the trip out there. Note there are no facilities so bring along what you will need (towels, water/drinks, snacks, shoes, sunscreen). You pay a $5 entrance fee at the gate and walk down a trail for about 10 minutes to one of the most beautiful pristine beaches we have even been on. We also used the tennis courts to play a little pickleball - which was a nice thing to do earlier in the morning (we brought our own balls and rackets). In summary, we really enjoyed our 2 weeks at this hotel and we look forward to coming back here again in the future! The resort filled all our needs but getting to know the staff made it so very enjoyable.

Everything is clean, well kept, enjoyable but the pools are kiddies pools, to shallow, all four of them, but that is compesated by the nice beach. There is always a gardener around working. Buildings were serviced as well.

Our check in was good. My group was booked in the same building but mine was separate. Room: good size for a suite and complete supply of amenities. My 2nd, 3rd and 4th night was infested by bugs. Good thing I brought my bug spray. They were everywhere even behind tables and curtains. I told the reception and was cleaned out by housekeeping but keeps happening for 3 nights Food: plenty / abundant Drinks: whatever you want to drink is available Staff: friendly Pool: good and not busy Beach: excellent Entertainment at night: i give 8/10 Overall: we had a great vacation and definitely will come back

I drank half my body weight in booze. Spent more time in the pools than ever before (4th time here), the water was so warm. Had amazing cream soups at the dinner buffet. Staff is unbelievable friendly. Can't wait to come back in Sept.

Too loud especially in the theatre Long line ups for hot food, could wait 20 minutes Room clean, staff very friendly Too big a resort for our liking Beach OK, but not enough lounges One day, no buns and very limited cold meat selection Ran out of red and white wine, 2 days before we left. Cuba is very short on supplies. Tourists should be told to bring American $1.00 bills for tips. Cuba does not accept Cdn. Coins.

I was impressed with the cleanliness of the property. The rooms are comfortable, although in our case, we had to physically move a cot that prevented access to one side of the bed. The resort is very large, though well laid out. The beach is gorgeous but lounges in the shade are very close together and must be claimed early. It is a bit of a walk to get there. We found it difficult to find a quiet place for a card game or a conversation. The noise level was incredible!. I was not impressed by the food in the buffet. Even in shoulder season there were long waits for anything freshly cooked. The prepared food was, at best, luke warm . The specialty restaurants were pleasant, friendly and, usually had wine

The staff is amazing, Abel, Paulino and Elsa at the beach bar are a ray of sunshine ? they make everyday amazing. Yenisey, Nelson and Emily in the lobby provide amazing customer service ?. It is a shame that people leave cups everywhere. Clients need to either bring a recycled cup or purchase one. No more plastic cups or glass. The resort needs a lot of TLC, walls , flooring and stairwells are crumbling. There needs to be more mix options for drinks, diet coke, sparkling water, real fruit juice. I have been at this resort more than 18 times and continue to visit because of the people who work at the resort, the customer service and of course the beautiful beach.

We went to Cuba 11 years ago to celebrate our 10th anniversary and returned to a different part of the island for our 21st anniversary. An important change since our last trip is the underground currency economy. You will not need to change your Canadian, or US (I can not confirm Europeon currency) currency to Cuban pesos. You can pay for excursions with cash (Canadian or US) or credit card. If you need to break a $20 or $50 bill, ask one of the severs in the buffet restaurant or at either the 24hr snack bar or the bar by front desk. It is my opinion that tips were preferred in Canadian or US currency. And saving yourself the hassle of currency exchange and the fees was a welcome treat. There is no doubt that the food quality and variety has changed but I feel the hotel offered a good selection . There was always fresh fruit, cheese and bread. Usually the buffet had two different soups available at lunch and dinner. There are three grilling stations for fish, steak, pork or chicken and another for vegetables such as eggplant, green pepper, cucumbers etc. Typically, at lunch there was also a grilling station for vegetables and rice. Although we did not attempt to do this, I saw guests, request uncooked chicken from the other grill station and take it back to be cooked with the rice. We preferred to go to the buffet breakfast to get fruit and bread and order eggs (fried, scrambled, omelet) at the 24hr snack bar. Table service was extremely quick and faster than the buffet line. There is an option to book two a la carte restaurants during a one week stay (Italian, International, Cuban). We chose the Italian and the Cuban restaurant . Despite hotel printed information, there is no longer an extra fee to eat at the Cuban restaurant. And we throughly enjoyed our meal at the Cuban restaurant and would recommend it above the Italian. There is also an option to reserve a table at a one of two a la carte lunch restaurants; a BBQ with burgers and the other one with Pizza. You can only book one lunch restaurant for a one week stay. I have travelled to many all inclusive resorts over the last 30 years including Cuba, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic but this was the first time I felt an intense pressure to tip for any and all service. It became clear that if you didn’t immediately indicate you would be providing a tip, you would not receive service or it was quite slow. In my vacation oblivion, I hadn’t quite noticed the trend but by the second afternoon it was more than evident. Guests who literally waved money and shouted for a drink at the bar were served first before others in line. We waited 5 days to obtain a reservation for the lunch pizza restaurant. Our reservation was for 1:30 and we waited in line starting at 1:20pm. There were 4 other groups waiting for a table in line. One group asked a server if they could obtain a table without a reservation and were turned away. During this period of time, there were several empty tables and we continued to wait. We were advised there was a change of staff and we would be seated as soon as possible. While waiting, I watched a woman with two young boys, whistle and shout to get the attention of the cook. Once she shouted his name, she literally waved a $5 Canadian bill and asked him to enter the restaurant. At this time, three parties and ourselves, continued to wait in line to be seated at a table and all had reservations. This woman’s husband who had been standing on the the other side of the restaurant went under the rope surrounding the restaurant to join her. The family was provided 3 pizzas and two burgers. This was done before any of there waiting groups were seated and while those at tables were waiting to order and for their food to be prepared. I was utterly disgusted by the behaviour of this family and frankly for the staff to allow and encourage it. I surprised myself by confronting the husband about their behaviour who defended their behaviour by stating “The staff need the money; we did it to help them”. Despite this couple’s assertion, they didn’t provide money to staff as an altruistic gesture; they did it to help themselves; to skip the line and to be served first ahead of others who had legitimate reservations. We learned from the husband that they had been engaged in this behaviour for several days and “everyone did it”. I can certainly attest that the group who attempted to obtain a table without a reservation were not accommodated but can only assume if they had provided a small bill, they would have been, at the very least, a take out meal. And I am pretty convinced that this family would not have attempted to engage in this kind of behaviour at home in Canada. The property was well taken care of and gardeners were present every day. Pools were spotless and the beach often had lifeguards to ensure the safety of swimmers.

Hi, our trip overall was pleasant and enjoyable. I did have one issue. We booked the following Catamaran Cruise: Crucero del Sol (https://www.cayosantamaria.info/excursion_catamarancruise.html) Shortly after leaving the marina, the catamaran crew asked all smoking passengers on the catamaran to put their cigarette butts into a plastic bucket filled with some water. Several people were smoking throughout the cruise. Most smokers put their butts into the bucket. We we arrived back at the Delfinario (dolphinarium) later in the afternoon. I was the last one to leave the catamaran. As I started walking down the dock, I looked back and seen on of the crew members dump the bucket full of cigarette butts into the ocean where the catamaran was docked. I walked back very upset and asked them why they did that and explained that the cigarette butts are made of plastic and they are polluting the ocean with plastic waste. The crew member started talking in Spanish and looking back and talking to the other crew members, who also were saying things in Spanish, which I did not understand. None of them acknowledged that what they did was wrong or apologized. I suspect this is happening constantly and quite likely not just by the crew of the catamaran I was on, but the other catamaran's offering the cruise as well. I also saw a few passengers that just flicked their butts overboard into the ocean. Throwing cigarette butts into the ocean is completely unacceptable and I am not proud of being part of a tourist activity that partakes in such blatant pollution of the ocean. A clean, ecologically healthy, and beautiful ocean is what Cuban people rely on for revenue and what helps to attract and support tourism in Cuba. Please do what you can to investigate this and put measures in place to stop Catamaran Cruise - Crucero del Sol crew members and passengers from throwing cigarette butts in the ocean. Feel free to follow up with me or contact me if you have any questions.

Playa Cayo Santa Maria is a great resort for families, couples and singles. It has something for everyone, kids club, gym, quiet pools, main pool with swim up bar and an amazing beach. The resort is well kept with comfortable rooms . The buffet was well stocked and the a la cartes were also very nice. Claudia went out of her way to ensure we had a wonderful vacation.

This place is beautiful. Friendly staff. Big clean pools. Amazing beach with plenty of lounge chairs and shaded areas. Water is so clear. I saw jellyfish for the first time. Can't wail to come back in April.

I enjoyed my stay at Playa Cayo Santa Maria. Staff is friendly - The server who typically works by the beach buffet named Raul was amazing. He was so friendly and welcoming, he really made mine and my groups time at the resort a pleasant experience.

If you like long walks, and no food and feel like dropping weight go here. You will definitely not eat. I've been go cuba many times and have stayed in resorts and never had an issue until now. They have no buffet only a la carte. They are "redoing the kitchen" lies. There are no guests. I moved hotels. Go to Melia cayo.. much better never failed me once. Playq Beach is rocky. Pools are meh. Rooms are clostorphobic. The playa is gov owned, so that explains it all. Oh and the roaches are everywhere, nightlife is blah. If you want directions to things good luck. At the Melia I had not seen one roach and never had mosquito issues. Staff is great buffet is full and hotel is live, rooms are big and Clean. Don't let them think you need to pay to move cuz you don't! I'm saving you from a disaster decision.

It is a highly recommended hotel.I must highlight the excellent quality of service by very professional people. Top quality food. I am a very satisfied customer for the stay that I enjoy my vacation 100%.

So so sad. I went to this resort in 2012, 14 and 17 and had a wonderful time. To say this time was a disappointment would be an understatement. This resort is literally falling apart. Nothing worked - our. air con, the keys, the toilet, you name it we had to go back to reception almost every day with a new problem. The food, which was never a strong point, is now abysmal. My daughter got food poisoning on her third day and couldn't eat anything but bread and sprite after that. There used to be a really good pizza and pasta area, not anymore. Just some guy preparing overly salty fried rice and another who served me undercooked chicken (no joke). The beach is just a sliver of what it used to be. And the people, well let's just say that Cuban hospitality was not on show. People who work here are often angry and resentful (with a few notable exceptions). The only thing I enjoyed was the wonderful pool and the weather. Never never again. On the way back to the airport we spoke to a couple that stayed elsewhere (the Valentina) snd they had a spectacular time, for less money too! So it's not Cuba - it's this poor resort, that has totally been allowed to go to seed. Not 4 stars, hell I'd be hard pressed to give it 2. Date of stay: May 2023

We spent 2 weeks at this resort almost exactly 6 years ago in May 2017 and again just got back in May 2023. Im often surprised by people being surprised when they fly in to Santa Clara and didnt realize there is a 1 hr and 40 min bus ride to get to the island if Santa Maria and the resorts. Its not the hotel staff's fault! We loved the staff, the specialty resturants and a la carts are good. The things that stayed the same was the entertainment staff's level of engagement is still incredible. Leo is a hoot and a half! The resort is well run in that the grounds are clean and well card for, and there wasnt anything not open for business despite the resort only at about 20% capacity. The only concerns we have with this resort since our last stay is the buffet. The food is often cold even if you go in right when lunch or supper starts. Many times Id go in and pick something simple like potatoes and a chicken dish, its under warming lights but the food is barely at room tempeture if not still seeming cold as if just pulled from the fridge from the previous offering. That and there is no effort to control the birds coming in the buffet. The entrance doors are broken so when someone enters if the door isnt closed manually behind you birds come in and start walking all over the counters, pick at the cold meats and veggie plates and walk all over the bread station breads amd desserts! Something needs to be done about this from a sanitary perspective let alone appearances when no staff try and shoo the birds out. The work around here is they always have fresh cooking stations for omletts, fish, beef etc, and those cooks work so hard. Just avoid the cold food section and bread section due to the birds crawling over everything if you care about that. It is a well laid out resort. If you want a party pool the have that. If you want a quiet pool they have 3! 2 of the quiet pools are almost olympic pool length if not exceeding if you like swimming laps. They work hard and we tipped for everything as it was always earned. The beach is amazing and I have never been to a resort with better shade structures. There is so much shade from the cabanas built there is always sun or shade for everyone at the beach. Shade at pools is tougher. They have some nice cabanas but not alot. And some of them have just some cloth running through posts with gaps so sun is still gonna get you. Those could be updated with solid roofs which would increase shade offerings by the pools. The pools are big and they really want you to have a good time. They just need to get the buffet issues sorted out which I think are easy fixes by changing the re-heating food process and fixing the door hindges on the entrances. Would return, but likely not eat much like this trip if buffet issues remain. If you dont care about food that much and your fine with the bus ride (its long but pretty) its a great vacation spot and Ive been to many resorts in many countries since 2005.

It is Cuba, and they do suffer because of the embargo on the country, however this hotel provides great food, very clean and beautifully landscaped grounds, very clean pools, amazingly clean rooms and the staff is always ready to help make your stay a great experience.

This is our 4 th time at the Playa Cayo and and love it..people that work there become like family..husband even likes the food and he is fussy. Looking now to book in December..hopefully renting a suite next time

This is the worst vacation I’ve ever been on. Here’s all the things that were wrong : - no mini bar even though they claim they offer it. - everything is dirty and the room cleaning service is sub par. It still looked dirty - no vegetables and fruit variety: the only ones they offered were cabbage, tomatoes (green), cucumber, passion fruit, pale pineapples and white watermelon. Only one day they offered bananas and people were taking a lot of them for their room because there’s nothing to eat. - no service at the buffet. Only one morning out of the 7 days I got water and coffee. Never had any service and I had to spend 5 mins to find a place to sit with cutlery. - staff are super harassing towards female guests. They whistle and yell at us to get our attention. It’s disgusting - staff looks miserable it’s super depressing - staff went out with some guests and left one of them to find the resort by herself in pitch black middle of the night on the beach. She came back crying cause she was so scared. This was unacceptable. - if you want coffee in the morning, prepare to wait for 20-30mins at the coffee bar. Only one machine and staff member there.

The beach itself is amazing and the water is beautiful and clear, however the beach area is almost 2 tiered and you have to go down a steep slope over rocks to get to bottom level. It is not walker, cane or wheelchair assessable. If the resort built a short wooden walkway down like neighbouring resorts have it would be. The remainder of the resort is easily assessable with ramps, grounds easily assessable. The hotel itself could use a good pressure wash to brighten it up. That being said workers were always painting and repairing around the resort. The grounds are beautiful with gardeners working hard to maintain its beauty. There are a number of pools to choose from, from the lively main pool to a few quiet ones. The room was dated but clean and firm but comfortable bed. The food was edible but very little change from day to day, interesting enough resorts nearby had a greater selection of food and less shortages.The staff are very friendly and helpful.

I’ll start by saying we have had great vacations twice now at this resort . The staff in general are amazing people who will go out of their way to make your stay enjoyable . The resort itself is aged and not accessible at for for rooms other than ground level . The food in the buffet was not very good , other than the omelette station in the AM which were made fresh in front of you . Good food can be found at the market which is a short cab ride away 10 bucks americano each way . The food in a la carte was much better than the Buffett but you’re limited to 2 of those in yur week long stay . A great and enjoyable can be here if expectations are kept low and reasonable . At best the resort itself is a 3 star with easily 7 star staff .

Awesome place in paradise. Great staff, friendly, safe and fun place. Lots of amazing food for everyone. Will definitely be visiting again. The Cuban people are so helpful and hospitable. Highly recommend this resort as a destination vacation.

This hotel is runned down! We where day for 1 week and the food was horrible! I know Cuba has a shortage of food but if you cant feed your people with quality food close your doors! Pool was dirty and service was not that great! There was lots of cubans and they where served first and they took over the resort! Staff had a big fight in lobby in front of everyone! Usually Cuba had the best service around but not here! I was speaking with returning guest and was told this place had gone down alot! I would rate this place a 2 star!

Nicest beach ever!!!!! Staff was very friendly, food was as expected. Highly recommend hotel and Monique at TripCentral for organizing the trip. Will recommend it to friends. If only the food was a little better it would be a 10/10

Most people were friendly and the resort was in OK shape. During the week you could find things that needed fixing/replacing, and the buffet is not 24 hrs. BUT, great pools and beach made it worth it.

Everything was wonderful. The staff are exceptional. They work so incredibly hard to make sure everything runs smoothly. The pools were awesome too. They gave us relief when the waves in ocean were too strong to swim in.

Lots of rooms and space great facilities but at night there are no entertainments, for people who only stays in the hotel it is annoying, also the people act like they are bothered so much u if u don’t speak Spanish, it changes when u left a tip, obviously lol I have no problem with tipping but please show your hospitality to the guests, food is always the same, certain people are good but they should at least explain to you how the tip works if the workers are sharing

Great People. The lobby receptionists weren't as welcoming as we hoped, and didn't go out of their way to address concerns. Specifically keys that wouldn't work and getting maintenance to fix an air-conditioning issue. The grounds were well kept and clean. Rooms were cleaned every day with new bedding, night life was good, they had something for all ages. The Gym could use some work, one treadmill was down all week making it difficult to get on, some equipment was broken. Food was ok, lots of variety and the staff and cooks in the buffet areas were awesome.

A great hotel with all amenities, vey clean rooms, well divided and separated, to have either 2 quiet pools away enough from the main party pool, or a beautiful beach, the choice is yours. Amazingly friendly and competent staff

We arrived on Jan 5th to a beautiful hotel on wonderful grounds. The hotel was booked to capacity so there was a lot of people present. Grounds - This resort has four pools and the beach (which is beautiful) but unless you get up at 7am to put your towels on your chairs you are not getting one. During the week I seen multiple altercations over chairs that were uncalled for. The pools were very clean and well maintained and the lobby, theatre and staff were amazing. Food - there is multiple a la cartes, the buffet and the snack bar. Due to the amount of people it was very difficult to get food unless you waited in line up for 1 - 2 hours. One day we waited for 2 hours for lunch. A lot of nights we were eating of plates that were not washed well or couldn't get a plate at all. The food was ok but we have never had an issue with Cuba food so no complaints there, it wasn't fantastic but we didn't starve. Our room was amazing, we asked for ground floor close to everything as my husband had spinal surgery and we got exactly what we asked for. Each day the maid came in and cleaned and did a fantastic job. We had a great week but won't be returning to this resort as it is to big for us and we don't like the line ups. In regards to cleaning they need to ensure there dishes are cleaned better and general areas as this was lacking. I would suggest this resort to you if you like to have fun with the amazing entertainment staff, don't mine waiting in line and don't mine walking as it is quite large but if those things are not for you I would suggest you move on.

I have traveled to Cuba 4x, and this is my second time to Cayo Santa Maria. I have to say that we had an amazing time. The food could have been a bit better. Being a Cuban run resort, I found there was really no "western" options in terms if vegetables that would have made the meals more enjoyable. I stuck to meats and things that were "safe" in my opinion and I had no issues all week. They don't have salad dressing, and didn't have sugar until the end of the week. If this is something you need to get by, then bring some for yourself. The entertainment by the pool and beach was by far the best I have ever seen in all my travels. I have never seen everywhere else get the guests so involved. They really need more recognition. Well done! This hotel all around was 4.5 stars in my opinion. Definitely will go back..

We just got back Dec 30. Everything was great. Beautiful grounds. The staff is amazing. We met many friends there. Plan on returning again soon. I am also keeping in touch with a few of the staff through face book.

We were given a room overlooking the Relax pool where we spent a lot of time. The staff was incredibly friendly. After being home for a week, we've already booked a trip here for next April. Can't wait to go back.

Fourth time to be there. Previous times were acceptable although the food quality and services was not match a 4 star hotel.But this time almost every thing was horrible! Almost no eatable food(my sons survived on fruits whole week!),many drinks were not available and we found 3 times insects in our coffee and drinks!The complementary drinks in our fridge(like coke, beer,..) had been reduced to one bottle of water for 2 person per day! They served ice cream cup without spoon and told us squish it to eat it as they were in shortage of everything! Our room had a bad smell I guess because the wall was wet is some parts!They told us because we came on Wednesday,there is no special party for returning guests like you as we missed it on Wednesday! Finally after on week of poor services and shortage on every thing ,all family got Corona as a result of poor sanitation and all of us are badly sick and off work now. Truly it was a wasting of time and money!

The resort is a wonderful holiday destination, I have been on holidays a couple of times but my trip to Playo cayo Santa Maria stood out for me. From the wonderful food and drinks to the cleanliness of the resort. The staff are also courteous people. This is a great value for money and I can’t wait to visit again

The hotel was beautiful, very nice staff. The massage I received at the Spa was the best massage of my life, the pools and beach was top notch. I enjoyed every moment, lots of food and drink. The best

Hotel outdated...needs lots of repairs. Paint coming off of walls. Seen cockroaches in dining hall around the food. Beach was beautiful but way to many rocks, stubbed toe many many times. Front counter staff very nice but restaurant staff catered to Cubans before Canadians. Pool dirty people eating and drinking in pool...stepped on chicken bones.

Family has great time at the resort. Kids were happy. 24 hour restaurant and food was excellent. We will come back again and enjoy the excellent services. Beach was well maintained and safe. Pool services were adequate.

Family has great time at the resort. Kids were happy. 24 hour restaurant and food was excellent. We will come back again and enjoy the excellent services. Beach was well maintained and safe. Pool services were adequate.

I love travelling and am usually used to backpacking. I'm not too picky... There is a lot of things to discuss here: 1. First day, someone stole my flip flops. Days 2 was the worse! While I was drinking with a group of people...there was a man who was obviously very drunk. The man, started to harass the guys and females. I had to DE-esculate the situation and prevented a fight. I went to the bartender 4-5 times with 20-30 min time span between each request for security. As I passed the bar to go the washroom, the bartender still fed the guy drinks, to which I responded "YOu shouldn't be feeding this guy anymore drinks." When I returned to socialize, the drunk man aggressively pushed me, then he threw a punch to my face and to my ribs. Good thing the guys held the drunk man back... which was when security came in and threw his arm around the drunken man as if comrades. NOTHING was done. The workers didn't ask if I was okay, there was no compensation, no consequences to the man, no upgrade in security. I felt completely unsafe...especially since i saw the man the next day at the bar. No police was involved, security lied and seemed to covering up for the man since he was a local. THE HOTEL MANAGER said they don't have protocol in order... or even one for capping off how much one should drink, along with no accountability to the security since it took soooo long. They don't want their guests to get upset if they cut them off from drinking was another excuse.The place is huge how do you have one security who doesn't even show genuine concern for their guests. I was rattled for three days.... three days of being called to recall the situation. My ribs hurt (no asked if I was physically or mentally okay)... good thing I avoided the face punch... if the male guests didn't step in, the man would of seriously injured me. This situation wasn't taken seriously. That same night, the security said the police was on the way... which it wasn't... he also said that he asked me if I wanted to file a police report. which he didn't. I got assaulted and nothing was done to really reassure me. I told him I don't want any other females going through my experience and what was to be done... response: we'll look into it. Walking to my room, is completely dark... there aren't any lights... knowing that the family was out there .... knowing what I look like.... stressed me out! 2. They allow people who get kicked out from other resorts for violence and using drugs to stay at this hotel. I know this cause a wife got kicked out from the other hotel due to her violent, abusive and drug taking husband. She first hand told me this and told everyone at the hotel as well. They brought their drama onto other vacationers. (all for money) They take them in... so let's really think about how much they really care about guests safety. 2. Rooms: majority of the times the keys don't work. My place was all the way by the beach. It took a lot of walks back and forth... total 10 keys. My legs had theeee workout. 3. Service: People who work there are friendly to groups of people who are locals or regular visitors. I got terrible service. Lots of attitude, I would have to walk to the servers for a beverage, no smiles or gratitude when tipped. Mind you there were the few 2-3 workers who were kind. 4. People who work there work 12 hour shifts... maybe that's why they aren't so happy. 4. Workers yell at each other loudly early in the mornings... you can't avoid waking up. 5. I work really hard and was trying to take a break and really enjoy myself. Instead it was seven days of extreme stress. The beach was the best thing that was there... you can find that anyway. The water healed and lifted my spirit AVOID THIS PLACE AT ALL COST, IT AINT WORTH IT

it is a hard times for everyone and seems much harder for Cubans but they still deliver good value . Service is good, food is scarcer but ample, drinks as usually satisfying , good caffe and ample entertainment

Just come back on June 25,spent a week in a pleasant place with pleasant people. Whant to say big thank you to Elaine( receptionist) for helping me with restaurant reservation. So sad, didn't have a chance to say you goodbye. Only one thing make me disappointed, it is a lady from customer service, she does reservation for restaurants. We asked her to change our reservation for Italian restaurant. She refused, saying that is booked completely. But what makes me upset, she even didn't open the computer to check if it was available. So, we managed to come to Italian restaurant ,again thank you to Elaine, but the restaurant wasn't busy at all. So for me, she really didn't care. Otherwise, it really nice resort with very friendly people. Recommended 💯

Nice layout and beautiful beach and the main thing it's very few mosquitoes at night and a nice disco club and I was surprised to see that food was really great and tasty knowing what the country goes through right now a big big surprise for me and like always very friendly and nice people all around

the hotel service was fantastic the air transit rep Raoul was so knowledgeable food was good no complaints people always friendly covid was not a issue had to wear a mask in the lobby till u sat down and same with buffet .only issue was my wife had a bathing suit taken ,but went to Raoul and security were so good on this .spike to all the maids .but did not get back we found out that they had trainee maids in one days and that is when it was taken ,they know who and they will not work again there .all in all we had a very relaxing time

Beach is amazing, can walk for miles. Pools are lovely. Spa is well done. Haven’t been here for 5 years and it needs some upgrades and repairs, in the rooms especially. Food is adequate/average, there are some shortages but you will not go hungry. Liked the entertainment and musical groups. Staff is very friendly. Check in is lengthy and information could be given on the bus ride from the airport about the resort (ie: buffet times, where to reserve restaurants, spa info, where to get beach towels) and Covid test procedures etc.

We just got back from one week at this resort..love the place..people..and beach..want to go back in march for two weeks and bringing more family..also hopefully for New Year and hubby birthday..pools were great..24 hours food..

The staff could of been more helpful, not a lot of people spoke English which was frustrating, the food was awful and the locals were treated better than the tourists . They were cooking meat with the same spatula meaning they were flipping cooked meat with the same fork as they were picking up raw meat . I complained and saw it happen the next day . Mixed chicken and pork together ????? There was no change in menu same food every day . And I feel like they lied about positive covid results they kept people in rooms then released them in the day we were leaving and charged them money . So positive for 2 days then negative ???? It was scary to think we were travelling home with people that had covid . They did not test people they had it already even tho people could still get it with shots ????? They charged them 100 to be cleared ???? Scam if u ask me . This needs to be looked into . Will I return no I will not . Unless things change .

Needs a bit of refurbishing Food is not that great Rooms are a bit tired an so is the lobby The beach is the best in this whole experience the pools are a bit dirty. Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I liked this resort because they were masked at all times. At no time did I feel at risk to covid. They were very accommodating. Food was very good. Had no issues. The beach was absolutely gorgeous. The rooms were very clean. Bartenders were quick to get drinks and always very pleasant. I would go back to resort again.

This hotel is awesome. Food was the best I've had in Cuba. Resort is in beautiful condition, landscaped and cleaned every morning. Rooms are very comfortable. Great beds and pillows. Beautiful showers. Air conditioning works great. Staff are amazing. Fantastic public areas. Great bars.

Entertainment is great, best food in Cayo. Everything is very very good. Good service and very nice employees. I recommanded this hotel to all people. The beach is perfect, good location and a lot of chairs

Very clean grounds. Great beach with soft white sand. Excellent service which was safe and friendly. Covid protocols were followed and enforced. Wifi was free and very fast and reliable. Food was amazing. A la carte service and food was excellent. 5 star 🌟 resort. We'll be returning.

Everything was very fine except the food. No variety of choice or themes. Service was fine, cleanliness as well. Nightly shows fun. The beach was gorgeous even though we couldn't swim in it for the first couple of days due to the wind

The rooms are cleaned every day... The resort is maintain quite good... The pools are amazing, the beach is great... The service at the buffet is poor... Servers are very slow, some don't speak English... The restaurants a la carte are much better ....

I enjoyed my stay at playa cayo santa Maria! Everything was perfect! Only thing that would have made it any better was sun all 7 days! The room was clean, the food was great, beach and pool was perfect! I'd highly recommend it!

We went to Playa Cayo Santa Maria from February 28 to March 6, 2020. Here are the great things we have to say: Viktor - the best pool entertainer, funny and just an amazing person. He made us feel like family. Reuben- pool bartender is great, super nice and understand/speaks English very well. Jose-pool bartender when Ruben wasn't there is also really great. Dailyn- Mojito bar at night she was super nice. Strawberry mojitos are amazing but this bar is not open in the day. Only open at 6pm by the lobby Karel and Rey- buffet waiters were really nice Hot water and pressure in the room is awsome-building 11 and we had friends at Building 8 and 15 and they had same comments The beach/water is super nice, clear and no seaweed. The pools are also great... depends on what you like.. the pool bar is loud with music but fun and entertaining. The relaxation pool is nice to swim and sit in the water. Hot dogs at snack bar and beach is great Here are the things we didnt like as much: No Ketchup No Coke..(so no rhum and coke) Montecristo upgrade is not worth it. We got a pink bracelet (instead of green like the rest of our friends) we got 1 additional A la Carte and a 26oz bottle of Rhum. So the extra $70 per couple is not worth it. Private bus transfer is not accurate... we had a big bus full.. private transfer means we get dropped off first and then other resorts. We did not get any of the other things it included like the private check-in, ect because we got in too late. Snack bar- First night we had hash brown then none for the next 5 days. No fries or any kind of potatoes. Bed- older bed with spring. They only gives you 2 flat pillows. We ask for 2 more but they only give 1 extra per room. So bring a pillow from home! Pool chairs- some need to be upgraded. And you do have to wake up ealry if you want to reserve a chair.

Extremely friendly staff, all around. Very accommodating whenever we had an issue or concern. The only negative thing about the resort was the fact that they were running low on some items, but Trumps fault not the resorts

This resort was/is billed as a Four Star (4*) Resort, in my opinion, it barely deserves the Three Star (3*) rating! The food was terrible. The rooms are tired. The lobby crowded and smoke filled. The entertainment was the worst we have ever experienced. We won't return. We were glad we travelled with a group, it made the stay a little more tolerable. Live and learn :)

The resort is unbelievable! The grounds are gorgeous and very neat. As for the food, always a big question mark, it was very good. The buffet was well stocked, carvery was awesome and the deserts were tasty and well displayed. Never made it to the beach, but was told it is amazing. The golf cart shuttles were always prompt and the drivers very polite. The only problem we found was the lack of of use of the transfer buses. Empty buses going to the airport with folks 'waiting' to go to the airport. Sunwing must do a better job of co-ordinating transfers. The ride to the airport was supposed to be one and one half hours, we took the scenic route, which was most interesting, and took three hours. On the whole, a most enjoyable vacation with lots of food and libations!

Rooms were moldy and dirty. There was hardly any fruit and they didn’t have much variety at all. We were referred to this resort since it was kid friendly which it really isn’t. They have a kid area but I only saw it open once, the rest it was locked up and not kept well. The pool was amazing and the beach is stunning but even the service wasn’t great. They seemed rather annoyed that you would ask them for something even with a tip being given. I know this resort is given 4.7 but it should be a 3. If you have young children I wouldn’t choose this resort.

The beach at this resort is excellent. Great swimming and beach walking. The grounds are clean. The staff is friendly. The food was good for Cuba. The rooms are basic and the cleaners do a good job. Good value for a reasonable price.

The beach was beautiful and the weather perfect for Feb. The resort, Meh! First time to Cuba,and all the usual things were true. Food not so good. Beach was nice. We were not impressed enough to go back but I cant say it was an awful stay. There was nothing really to do but stay on the resort as most excursions were far and didn't look all that exciting.The pest fumigation at the end of our stay while we were waiting on our bus back to the airport was like being in a Oliver Stone movie as we were totally smoked out. Bit of a lack of sensibility to the guests. Overall it was alright to get away on the cheap.

Grounds, were cleana fn well maintains, they were working on walkways to the beach while we were there. Bedroom, clean with enough space to relax . They had a cot without asking while was ideal . Main negative, the beds were rock hard, the cot was the most comfortable. Did not think until we returned, but I'd ask if they has bed toppers. Reception, fast but not informative. They did not tell us were to sign up for restaurants, or taxis could be taken to the market for the same price as the best which never showed following an hour and half of waiting, they said every 45m. Pools,Beach .... perfect! Drinks .... amazing, a little stong at the beach. Bus ride might be 2 hours, but it's a tour in itself, we all enjoyed it and drinks the whole way, two beer for 5 canadian. Note money in the fridge does not get you more, or for us did not. Food was great, seafood restaurant we enjoyed the most. Buffet was always great, stone oven pizza sooo good. I do not suggest the Asian restaurant.

Our very first family trip with our girls and it was amazing we all enjoyed the hotel and the friendly staff. Cuba is well known for their beaches and no disappointment there! It was an amazing family trip that we will cherish forever.

Very pleasantly surprised. Beautiful resort. Excellent accommodations. Beautiful white sand beach that extends for miles. Plenty of choices for dining & food. Buffet restaurant Manager-Gloria was very helpful & looked after all your needs. All staff at the resort were very helpful & smiling. They really loved their job. Special thanks goes to the following: Victor; Lang; Julio; Lisdania; Rodney; Yadirka; Marlanis; Mildrey; Claudia; Pecho and many others who made our stay enjoyable and memorable one. Thank You Playa Cayo Santa Maria. Cuba

I give this place 10 stars!!! The staff were all wonderful. Despite all that is said about the Cuban food, I also rate the food a 10!!! This was my ninth visit to this resort and plan on boing back in April with a different group of friends. Until we meet again...carrie

The pool was great that we hung out at daily. Lots of shade which was important to us. The grounds were well kept and tastefully planted. The beach was amazing! Upon request, our needs were met by the housekeeping staff. The room was clean and comfortable. The food was unappealing and it was nice to have sit down a la cartes. We knew not to expect too much from the food. The furniture around the pool and in the lobby is not made for comfort. Why are there never chairs around the pools? Only low saggy loungers.

We had great weather between Jan 24 - Feb 6/2020 in Santa Maria, Cuba. Must say we were disappointed in the lack of services this year. We have been at playa cayo Santa Maria 3 times previously and this time brought 2 other couples. We were very disappointed. Had to ask for service a few times in the buffet and lobby. At the a lacarte I couldn’t even cut my beef dinner and had to leave it. At the Italy a la crate we walked out as there was only one girl working all by herself. I heard one night in the buffet they ran out of red wine, glad I drank white. Staff were short staffed thought out the resort. First week our rooms were cleaned mid day but second week the room was cleaned around 5-6pm. We had to leave room when they came to clean. I mentioned this to our air transat rep and all he could say was “embargo was the problem”. But overall weather and beaches were wonderful.

We are a family of 5 and travel yearly to various destinations. In the 25+ years of travelling I have never taken the time to provide a review except to close friends and family. The reason for this review is because I think people considering a trip to Cayo Santa Maria, would benefit from an honest review. We have been to various places in Cuba about 5-6 times but most recently to Cayo Santa Maria 3 times in the last 2 years. We highly recommend this destination. The beautiful white sand beach is breathtaking and worth every penny and the 2 hour drive from the airport. We have all heard that Cuba is not known for its food but for its beaches..this is true to some extent. January 2019, my family (and my brothers family) stayed at Melia Las Dunas. It was great. The service, the variety of food and the options of different lunch areas and of course the beautiful beach. To be honest, the rooms were a little outdated but how much time so you really spend in your room?? We loved our trip so much that my brother and his family returned in June with his inlaws and nephews. they had a great experience. This year we decided to go back to Cayo Santa Maria but to my brothers request (he wanted to try a different resort) we choose the next hotel over -Playa Cayo. The reviews were good and the rating was positive. We had 24 people in our group. We arrived at 9:30 pm with Air Canada and arrived at the hotel at 11:30. Even though we were basically the only guests arriving at that time, checking in took forever. Only 2 people at the front desk to register 24 people into 8 rooms. We have small children, elderly people and we were hungry and tired and just wanted to settle in...but no one is in any hurry to get things going. As a group you'd think they would have put us all in the same block or at least close by to each other..nope! We were scattered and unfortunately the elders in our group (total of 6 people) were put in the block furthest to the central area of the resort . It was too late to make any changes and no one wants to move the next day when you have already settled in? Everyone stayed in their assigned rooms. The only thing open to get some food at that time is the snack bar. The selection of food was limited and not appetizing. The burgers looked like they were processed meat covered in a thick batter. No fries just a teaspoon of what they call salad. the pizza was made with a dough that was a thick pita bread and the cheese used is what I know now to be the extact cheese used at every buffet at lunch and dinner. they use cut up hotdogs for pepperoni. This was not a good start . We are not picky eaters and just thought tomorrow would be better. Well it was. The buffet at breakfast was typical except no bacon, no hashbrowns to brown bread no jam or peanut butter and the coffee was absolute garbage. Cuba typically has awesome coffee so we were perplexed to be given this dark water. My review of this place will never end if I continue so in a nutshell here is what our next 6 days consisted of. The food is circulated for lunch and dinner. There is no difference EVER from one day to the next. Same food items all day. The coffee in the dining room is awful. Its good at the coffee bar but the line up crazy. There are a few lunch option areas although they to repeat. They are not towel crazy and are quite liberal with beach towels. The palapas in this area of the beach are limited therefore you need to get there by 7:30 to secure chairs and palapas. There are always guys on the beach willing to get the chairs for a fee. The beach buffet has the most god awful feces smell. We think their sewage system is not maintained. You can actually see the water seep thorough the ground in this area. The wait for a pizza at the beach buffet is 45 mins-only 1 person working and he does not hustle. The hotdogs on the beach grill are great but the wait is also long with only 1 panini press and 1 person working it. The service at this lacking, especially in the food areas. There were limited people working and they really don't go above any beyond to get you drinks or clear the tables-this was disappointing. Our big concern was the alcohol being served at the beach bar. 5 of us drinking the same vodka/soda, rum and cokes and mojitos all got major headaches the first night. we noticed that the alcohol being poured into our bubbas was from 2 different bottles at the same time. Hard to explain but witnessed by a number of us. I think they use some of the "real" stuff to make it look legit but top it with "crap" or tainted stuff..this we cannot prove but coincidence that we all felt the effects and we are all social drinkers. The animation team was great. Had the guest participating on the beach and pool all the time. The night shows were a little disappointing and boring. Rooms were very nice. AC worked great, Great showers and nice set up. Never in our past travels did we have anything taken from our rooms. Unfortunately, this time 3 of our families had something taken from our rooms. A bracelet, face cream and a container with dish soap (to wash out our beach bubbas). We were told that the simple things like dish soap, laundry detergent are limited on the island and locals fight over these things at supermarkets when they do become available. These items taken were not essential and important to us and did not merit a complaint just so that someone would loose their job but we were diffidently disappointed and afraid that other things would go missing. The trust was lost. Will I return to Cuba? Yes. but not for a while. Will I return to Playa Cayo? Unfortunately not.

The hotel grounds were kept clean by hard working groundskeepers. Our room was always cleaned and freshened daily with all in room amenities working perfectly. RUEBEN from the pool bar was the friendliest bar tender and always remembered our drinks he was one of the staff that made our experience great at this resort. The meals were typical cuban meals with some good and some not so good. But you will always find something you like and enjoy to eat. The booze runs freely and cold lol. Coffee bar and assortment of coffee was great. The only not so appealing thing for me was that the beach is always packed and they dont have near enough shaded areas for people unless you get up at 6am and they and save chairs that's if someone hasn't tipped of beach workers the day before. All in all a fantastic resort and would definitely go back.

The waiters and bar tenders etc were amazing very friendly and efficient I will come back because of them The room was good and clean and the maid service was excellent There were tiny little bugs sometimes in the bathroom counter but have to expect that Towels were clean and so was linen

We were very disappointed on our 2nd visit to Playa. We were there 5 yrs ago and were very happy with everything and decided to return. The resort has not been kept up at all. We found it to be on the dirty side. The throw pillows on the bed were very very dirty, asked housekeepers for clean ones but they just took the dirty ones and never came back with clean ones. Buffet was cold all the time. they had 2 coffee machine but only had one operational the whole week. They also didn't have enough mugs so people were using soup bowls just to get their morning coffee. They also had 2 toasters but again only one operational which can make quite a long wait with that amount of people wanting toast for breakfast.I had gotten ALOT of bug bits, not sure what from but very itchy and only went away after being home for this past week. They still are some of the best beaches I have ever seen. Very windy most of the week but can't control Mother Nature. Sorry to say but I will not be returning to Playa Cayo Santa Maria.

Belle Hotel et plage exceptionnelle! Le service et les gens sont gentils! On se sent en sécurité. Bravo! Merci pour à votre equipe , votre service est super je recommande tripcentral à tout le monde.

We have been going to this Resort for the last 5 years (17 weeks total). The beach and the ocean are remarkable! Extremely clean rooms, plenty of delicious foods and great A La Carte restaurants. Pools are extremely clean, drinks are not watered down and the a staff are the most kindest people we have ever met. Terrific management team that are always there to help you! The resort is perfect in every way except one minor setback for us.... There used to be tropical music at the pools and in the lobby, now it is American music that we hear every day at home. That was our only inconvenience LOL!

Really good service, the hotel was clean, the food good (some food back order but not a big deal its cuba). The wine and the restaurant a la carte was really excelent. The beach is one of the best of cuba with crystal clear water.

We loved everything about this hotel and resort. We especially loved the food. The selections was incredible and endless. Crepe stations, smoothie stations, fresh fish and beef, pork, chicken sautéed to your liking. Pizza and pasta stations. Breakfast had pancakes and omlettes stations, not just one but three omlette stations so the line was never long. The staff were friendly and always available. The pools were beautiful and four to choose from so we always found a spot, whether we wanted a quiet swim or a lively spot with entertainment, there was always a pool with space for us. The beach was inexplicably beautiful. You could walk right onto the beach from the resort. Amazing buffet right at the beach along with a snack shack. The rooms were not super fancy but very comfortable and clean. The lobby bar seemed to be the place to be every night after the wonderful entertainment. We will be going back for sure!

1. Rooms are okay. Mattresses, pillows and bedding is old and poor quality. Walls, shower are old has small breaks and defects. 2. Food was a poor quality overall. The had no flavor at all. Al a cart were good except for Asian. Italian was the best. Ice cream is available all day. Fruits are only tasteless white watermelon, pineapple, guava and papaya. 3. Grounds are poorly kept with garbage such as cans and plastic cups all over. Only cleaned in early morning. Vegetation is not kept and looks deserted. 4. Beachfront is nice and relatively clean, beach chairs are available all the time. 5. Many locals staying in making it load. 6. At the pool sun glasses were stolen on one occasion and a bag with a book and few other items on another. Overall no more than 3 stars.

We’ve been to Cuba many times. The reviews we read on this resort before hand were great and were all true. The grounds are manicured very very well. Our room in building 11 was very clean. A Modern bathroom and a balcony overlooking one Of the many gardens. The pathways were all clean and decorated for Christmas as we went Boxing Day over New Years. The service was most excellent from our maid to the buffet and the bars. The beach is stunning as we knew going back to Cayo Santa Maria. Clear clear water and soft sand! BBQ on the beach was nice surprise with multiple options. Ice cream was available too which was a first I’ve seen in Cuba. We loved our holiday and had lots of help when needed. We would go back anytime!

If you spend less than 1000 dollars for 1 week away then this is a great value resort. The drinks were tasty and food was of decent quality (Nobody in my party got sick!). By far the best part of the resort was the beach, it was what you'd expect to see on a postcard with turquoise water and white sands. The public bathrooms are in need of some refreshing (which they've started and look really great) and the infrastructure would be good when the hotel is NOT at capacity. When we attended the week before Christmas 2019, the resort was at/over capacity per the waiters we spoke with so lineups at the buffet for fresh hot food like fish/meat/pizza were 45 minutes to 1 hour long. The snack bar was only ever staffed by 1 cook (per our waiters who brought drinks at lightning speed) which meant waiting 1 hour for what normally would take 5 minutes for a tortilla pizza. The chairs at the main pool and the beach filled up quick unless you were there early (i.e. 7-8AM). The hotel staff/waiters were very polite and respectful, no complaints there. The late night beach party put on by the resort was a nice and welcomed change from the normal all inclusive you would find in Cuba. Overall we were not disappointed by the resort (we'd consider it a 3.5-4 star) as we needed R&R and understood we needed some patience to get things like food at the buffet. We saw lots of young families who seemed to be having a fun time which is a good thing. We did get a few days of rain, which sent the resort/animation team into a bit of a panic given the large number of people there - my suggestion is bring playing cards just in case. If you are used to a 4.5/5 star experience in somewhere more lavish like Mexico or Dominican Republic then I would suggest you stay away from this place.

We traveled to Playa Cayo Santa Maria at the end of November. We have been to many areas of Cuba over the past 15 years and we have never been more impressed ! The hotel grounds are absolutely immaculate and the rooms were spacious, comfortable and very clean. The food was the best we have ever had, the variety spectacular and the service always pleasant and courteous. The swimming pools (where we spent most of our time) were clean and we could always find one that was not overcrowded. The beach is by far the most beautiful we have seen so far in Cuba, the water was crystal clear and warm and the sand was like icing sugar, clean and soft !!! The staff were all friendly and helpful from the reception to the wait staff, bartenders,maids and gardeners. A special thank you to Roberto at the beach restaurant for making us feel so at home.

Beautiful beaches, fantastic pools, friendly staff (amazing bartender Ruben). Rooms were very clean everyday, was very impressed with the quality and variety of food. Would definitely come back here in a heartbeat

This was our first time in Cuba and first time at this hotel. It was just okay. The biggest issue for me was the cleanliness. Our bathroom was disgusting with a terrible smell and bathroom matter splattered on walls from previous tenants. Food handling was not the best saw cross contamination with utensils with raw chicken. Overall much could be done to improve the buffet hygiene. We were a group of 10 and 8 had severe diarrhea.

We stayed at the Playa Cayo Santa Maria. Everything was top notch from the relaxed vibe in the lobby to the entertainment team who made the vacation amazing. Food was good. Rooms were good. Lots of pools and amazing beach. Thanks to Natasha at trip central she was great.

The Grounds were well kept , The service and wait staff performed thier jobs with enthusiam and professionalism. The beaches at Cayo Santa Maria Are Some of the best on the planet. The food was Good as were the drinks. Anyone who books here ,other than the most unforgiving, will certainly enjoy their stay in this Wonderful Resort. Hats off to all the hard working Cuban people for making everyones stay an Absolute Delight. Buy your Alcohol and trinkets at the resorts. The Duty Free shops at the airports are now overpriced and out of control. Four Dollars for a small bottle of water and 4 dollars for 2 canned soda pop.

The Playa Caya Santa Maria is an outstanding resort in Santa Maria. We have stayed at several throughout Cuba and this one is Absolutely the BEST. The resort is self is stunningly Beautiful the grounds are Pristine and very well maintained. The Staff are the most courteous. The foods are also very good. The Beach there is Gorgeous. Absolutely Love everything about The Playa Caya Santa Maria

Amazing resort, nice and friendly staff that make you feel welcomed. Cozy and comfortable lobby (open 24 hours) to hang out and have awesome selection of drinks.. Great food at buffet, and a snack bar (also opened 24 hours) with anything from burgers to pizza. Not to mention the amazing pools and clear blue beach!! I will definitely be going back! 5 stars!! *****

Pleasantly surprised with this Hotel. Beautiful long, white sandy beach. Large clean rooms. Plenty of food selections in Buffet Restaurant. Plenty of other restaurants and cafes near pools. Multiple pools. Excellent evening Entertainment. Pool & beach games & entertainment daily. Very polite & friendly staff. All in all an excellent Resort.

We had a wonderful week at the Playa,my husband already wrote a review but I have to add this resort had many options. Between the beer gardens, grill spot for lunch, beach grill, snack bar, it provided a variety spots. The pools were amazing, always seats available. The only downside was it was a popular resort. Great for the resort but getting a spot on the beautiful beach was a task. We did manage and the staff at the beach were a great asset in helping us find loungers. Speaking of staff, they were amazing at this resort. Very friendly and welcoming in all areas of the resort. A special mention to our maid Julia,very sweet and did a great job with our room. This resort comes highly recommended from our family.

We arrived at the hotel on November 15th. We were settled into room 0607. When we arrived there, the lock did not open. After 15-20 scans, it finally worked. There was a strong smell of some kind of chemical inside. The room was dirty, someone's hair on the floor. The safe did not work. A minute later we saw a cockroach on the floor. I killed him, but in the closet we saw another one on the wall. Another cockroach ran across the floor again. We returned to the lobby. We were told to wait, there was a long line. We waited about 40 minutes. They listened to us and gave room 0670. We left the house at 10 a.m. We had a some meal on the plane, and now it was 9.15 pm. We were very hungry and went to a restaurant. After the restaurant we went to see the room. Opening the door with a key, I saw 2 women. They were also surprised, like us. We went to the lobby. We were given room 0370. We were not able to open the door. I went to the lobby. The keys were reprogrammed, we open the door to the room. Our luggage was in room 0607. I went to the lobby and asked for the key to room 0607. The door to room 0607 could not be opened. I returned to the lobby. They called someone, we went to room 0607, after 5-6 minutes of the specialist struggle with the lock, the door was open. We took our luggage and went to room 0370. Then I brought the key to room 0607 in the lobby. The beds in 0370 had clean, fresh linen, but the bathroom also had hair, floors and tables dirty. It was very late, we cleaned up a room and finally get to bed. In the main restaurant there are no spoons, glasses for juice and very often there are no plates. People stand in line, waiting for their arrival. Evening shows are very monotonous and second weeks repeats the first. We saw such poor management for the first time. The resort experience is very bad.