Meliá Cayo Santa María *****

Anónimo, CA, 2005-04-24
We are a couple around 30's, and we have extensive experience of visiting different resorts in Caribbean. We jsut returned from this resort on April 23, 2005.

Money:
Take with you a handful of US $1-bills for tipping (20 should be enough for one week). It's much better than trying to change Canadian money into the local currency (the exchange rate is awful). Canadian looneys and tooneys are not accepted.

Tipping
Remember, that average Cuban salary is $12 a month. You can tip for an outstanding service, but don't go crazy. As I have said, $20 of tips should be enough for a week. For example for the room service - one dollar at the beginning of the stay, and another dollar in the middle of your stay would keep them properly stimulated to invent new ways to please you :) Also, you may want to tip with some presents from Canadian dollar stores. They would appreciate any useful items like watches, calculators, toys, crayons and so on.

Room:
Very nice and spacious rooms, stylish decorations and paitings. The fridge was updated every day. But there was only one beer can per day, and a couple of other soft drinks. If you want, you can buy a couple of 6-packs beers in Toronto duty free and take it with you. It costs $7 each (which is almost $1 per can), and gives you a full freedom when to drink the beer on your vacation :)

Food:
The buffet has a very limited variety of food, especially for breakfast. Definetly less than I would expect from a 5 star resort. The food is usually cooked in a very plain way, without much sauce or other ideas. Just boiled fish, boiled meet, and so on. The cheese was plain awful. The greatest taste had the fresh local vegetables and fruts, just because they are fresh and organic. Lobster dinner is a joke, snack bar is a waste of time. Highly recommend the Mediterranean resturant - amazing atmosphere and the flute music from heaven.

Activites:
Activities are rather limited - tai chi, dance, spanish, beach voleyball, tennis. The local staff shows very little enthusiasm in involving people.

Pool:
The pools and landscaping aronud them are beautiful. But the water is very cold, there was practically nobody in the water. So, you may think about them more like a decoration ponds :) Also, the shade is very limited and usually it was impossible to get a place in the shade. So, take lots of 45 sunscreen.

Beach:
Very beautiful beach, with pure wilderness around for miles. The same problem of insufficient shady places. The sea bottom has nice yellow sand. But there is nothing to see for snorkelling.

Weather:
The weather was unpleasant. Very strong wind, which was really bothering us. We had to dress really warm in the evening, and we got cold immediately once we got out of the water. 4 days the beach was closed because of the big waves. The other 3 days the beach was open, but the sea was still pretty rough.

Staff:
Cuban people are very friendly, open and warm. It's a real pleasure to deal with them. Although sometimes they put some pressure to lure some tips out of you. They have a real strategy for this for example at the buffet restaurant. A waiter would bring you a cup of coffee, put it on the table and wait for a couple of seconds to signify his deed. For every plate removed from the table there would be a small performance of "excuse me my interruption, sir", "are you done with your plate?", "are you positive?", and then gracious removal of the plate :) Which for me is the total opposite that one would expect from a waiter in a restaurant. Of course none of them got any tips for this :) Other then that, they are a charming people to deal with, and we always had a very good service and communications.

Return flight:
It took us about 11 hours to get back home (Air Transat). We gatherd for boarding buses at 2:15 pm, then the loading procedure took about 45 minutes. Another 1 hr 15 min to get to the airport. Where we spent 1 hr for check-in. Then we waited another 2 hrs until boarding the plane. Then 1 hr flight to Montego Bay. 45 min stop there. Another 3 hr 30 min flight to Toronto. And finally unloading from the plane, customs and "home, sweet home" :)

Summary:
Even though the price was a real bargain ($840 per person - from Toronto, including taxes and everything) next time we'll try to find a different place. The island weather is very unpredictable and can make the vacations not the most pleasant experience. Besides, 11 hours for a return flight - that's way too much.

Anónimo, CA, 2005-04-23
Just got back from a vacation at this resort April 15. My friend and I were going for some relaxation, and had read reviews prior to booking, so we were not disappointed. The resort was beautiful- we were very surprised to find out how luxurious it was, especially the rooms. They were well decorated, and spotlessly clean. I was surprised- there was even a soaker tub and hand held shower, so that made bathing luxurious for the week. We tipped extra, and got extra water and beer put in the fridge every day, so that was terrific.
The food was very good- it's been five years since I'd last been to Cuba, and the improvement is noticeable. We only ate one night at the buffet. We registered for our a la carte dinners, but on two nights went to different restaurants for the 6:30 sitting, and got in when people didn't show up for their reservations. So try this, if you want to return to a particular restaurant, or you miss booking your meals. The only disappointment for me with food was a lack of fresh fruit, but I was told that there's been a drought in Cuba for the past 8 months, so fresh fruit is at a premium. It was available, but not in abundance.
The beach was absolutely amazing. I've never seen a more beautiful beach, or cleaner one. We walked for hours-I had the blisters to prove it! The best day was when we got up before sunrise and met the morning on the beach. We kept walking, and without anyone around for miles were able to swim in total privacy. It was bliss.
We ended up going to the pool at the Sol hotel next door every afternoon to swim. Finding a chair in the shade at the Melia was impossible, but we could have our pick at the Sol. The gardens there are more established, so there was plenty of shade trees and beautiful flowers around the pool, so it was very pleasant. You can get drinks there, just not food. It made a nice change, as we always swam in the ocean in the mornings. The water is so warm, you can swim at dawn and it's lovely.
We went on the catamaran, and it was absolutely one of the best things we did that week. Lots of fun, great snorkeling, and a swim at a pristine beach that had sand like talcum powder. It was paradise. We found star fish, and a conch to look at. I highly recommend this trip. We also rented a moped and explored. Get directions to the Blanco Beach- it was deserted and beautiful. It's about a 30 minute ride from the Melia, and is at the far eastern part of the beach in front of the hotel.
The people who work at the resort were wonderful. I was so impressed- my friend and I will definitely return. I wish I was there right now.....
We both highly recommend this resort. It represented great value, and if relaxation is what you want, it's here.

Anónimo, CA, 2005-04-22
We are a couple in our late 20’s who traveled to the Melia Cayo Santa Maria resort between march 29 and april 12. Off the start I have to say that this resort has great potential and with the right type of refining it could be an awesome place to spend a memorable two weeks.

Arrival at the Resort:
By far the worst airport experience that we have ever encountered and we have been to many a locations. It took us a good two hours to make it through the airport and into the buses. This then followed by an hour and 30 minute drive to the resort. All the resort check in is done on the bus which helped not having to spend the extra time once we got there. Once at the hotel we were told that our luggage would be delivered to our rooms. This took about an hour and a half to happen.

Money:
1$canadian=0.79 pesos or 1$us=1pesos

Room:
The room was very nice we were quite impressed with the look of it.

Buffet:
Considering the various travels we have done to Cuba, I have to say that Melia had the best buffet that I have experience (keeping in mind that it still has many horrible dishes). My favorite was the pasta bar along with an impressive bbq style meat section. There is something for everyone and if you stick to what looks reasonable you cant go wrong. If you like to experiment with your food then you may be in for some disappointments.

Lobster Dinner:
This restaurant is located under a hut right beside the pool. Do yourself a favour and avoid this waste of time. The dinner was horrible and for the little piece of lobster that you get it is just not worth it.

Italian Restaurant
By far my favourite with a great meal and great staff would recommend this highly.

Drinks:
The Drinks were fine and depending on the person making them some were better. At the pool bar there were two of the best people at the resort and that was Yoelvis and Rafael. These guys were great and prompt and made some of the best drinks.

Activites:
What a joke the activities would be seen at times but in vary small scale. I am used to going to Cuban resorts and having the Entertainment (animation) staff always around mingling with the tourists and providing interesting things to keep people busy during the day. I have to say that this place lacks all this and I found that the entertainment people lacked the experience to handle a place that needs something bad as it does not have much to offer. NOT ACTIVITIES BY THE BEACH/NO AEROBIC OR STEP and DANCE LESSON HORRIBLE!

Pool:
Pools are very nice and very big and there is also a whirlpool. Problem is as everyone says because the lack of umbrellas many people get up very early in the morning head down to the pool through a towel on the chair and then go back to sleep. This makes it frustrating as we always went to bed late and the last thing I want to do is get up at 7:00 am arrrgghh. The whole week that we were there we never managed to get an umbrella by the pool. You would thing that the management of the hotel could figure out the resorts capacity and provide the appropriate number of Umbrellas.

Beach:
The beach is gorgeous and that’s because we love the ocean and the sand. Once again the same problem as by the pool, were there are limited huts and people getting up early and placing their towels on the chairs and then going back to sleep. Considering there are no trees it is hard to get any shade if you need it. Another problem is the bar being so far from the beach so a good thing to do is bring one of those big Tim Hortons coffee mugs that way you can fill it up at the bar and limit your walks to the bar.

Staff:
Most of the staff was friendly with the few exceptions. Weather:
The weather was fantastic.

Entertainment:
By far the worst I have experienced in Cuba. You would think they would get the hint considering most nights most of the people would get up not even half way through the show and head to the lobby bar. AND THEY USED OUR SHOES FOR THE SHOW AND SOMEONE LOST HE'S SHOES!

Summary:
GREAT HOTEL/FOOD AND BEACH. I WILL RETURN TO THIS HOTEL FOR SURE.

if you need more information please send me email at:

sweet_sherry9@hotmail.com

Anónimo, CA, 2005-04-21
We returned from the Melia April 19,the resort is beautiful and the staff the best we have ever encoutered in more than a dozen trips to the Carribean.That said I have to say I would not go back,the area is wide open to the Atlantic and consequently the wind is relentless and sitting on the beach can be very uncomfortable,also as stated by everyone here getting a shady spot is impossible unless you want get out of bed at 5am. to reserve a chair,the hotel has to address this problem because I saw people taking chairs at the pool and beach,selfish would be a too kind a statement.The rooms are well appointed and kept clean,the restaurants are excellent,the 5 course meal at the Italian a la carte was amazing.If you want to go to this area of Cuba I would recommend the Sol,it is a more mature resort with bigger and more pool areas,more shade,comperable food and service.Hope this is helpfull,enjoy Cuba ,the people are AMAZING.

Anónimo, CA, 2005-04-18
We had a wonderful time at this resort.... It is truly beauitful. The lobby is gorgeous, the rooms are the nicest I have ever seen and the pictures really didnt even give them justice.... my mouth dropped when i walked into the room. The food was quite good for cuban standards... I really enjoyed alot of their dishes... LOVED the pesto pasta at the italian restaurant... LOVED the mediterranean restaurant (both of these had really amazing ambiance).... and tried the lobster dinner but wasnt overly impressed with it ... it was just average. And now for my favorite topic... THE BEACH....oh my goodness...this was out of this world... soooo long...great for walking... pristine conditions... the bluest water I have ever seen, and clean. It didnt have palm trees on the beach but it did have umbrellas for shade (if i had one complaint, it would be they could use a few more of these for shade). All the rooms are in good locations and if you arrive at your room and are not happy with it just go to the front desk and ask them to show you on the map what else is available.... Keep your water bottle from your in room fridge and when it is empty you can just get the bar man to fill it up for you (they have purified water on tap) and this way you will have extra water (they fill your fridge once every 2 days).... Resort was very clean... workers worked very hard... we tipped and didnt regret it at all (we even tipped the gardeners and they really appreciated it). Book your a la cartes ASAP (we asked the front dest the second we arrived where we did this...and they told us when the line up would begin...so we were the first ones there...and later in the morning it was like a 1 hour line up that we had avoided by asking in advance).... Did the catamaran trip and felt it was well worth the money... it includes 2 snorkelling stops (only worth the money if you plan to get off the boat and snorkel... we loved it!).... this also includes lunch (chicken or lobster)... Bring insulated mugs.... lots of sunscreen of higher numbers as well as we used 50 some days and still burned!!! walk to the right on the beach and it is a much nicer walk (it will take your breath away).... MAJOR DOWN FALL OF THIS RESORT IF YOU HAVE KIDS: THE DISTANCE FROM THE AIRPORT: 1.5 HOUR DRIVE FROM THE AIRPORT BUT BY THE TIME YOUR PLANE LANDS AND YOU GET YOUR LUGGAGE AND LOAD THE BUS AND TRAVEL YOU ARE LOOKING AT MORE LIKE 3 HOURS FROM THE TIME YOU GET OFF THE PLANE... IT WAS A LONG GO, BUT TO US BEING 27 YEARS OLD WE DIDNT MIND AT ALL...IF I WAS 4 I THINK I WOULD HAVE MINDED!!!).... Nightly entertainment was average... they try really hard and we did enjoy it but dont expect broadway.... kids club looked really nice.... pools were great for all ages... and pools in general were amazing ... very big...various depths... Trees around resort are still growing so they are not full yet... most of the entertainment stuff is next door at the Sol which you can also use (like stuff to entertain kids... ping pong etc... )... We brought our own towel and were glad we did as many people had theirs stolen and it seemed to be a vicious cycle....Quite a bit of walking at the resort because of various paths and the board walk to the beach but we liked the walk as it was very pretty... massage at the resort was great.... Overall... highly recommend... it was a great first cuba experience... in the past i have been to bahamas, dominican, antigua, mexico and now cuba and cuba is right up there after this experience... Relax and have a great time... It is beautiful.