Sanctuary At Grand Memories Santa Maria

Sanctuary At Grand Memories Santa Maria
3.893.893.893.893.89
3.89 based on 288 reviews
#14 of 25 hotels The Monarc.ca popularity scale (#1/15) classifies all the hotels of a single destination according to the number of grades received on 5 and the total number of reviews. in Cayo Santa Maria
Rated 4.5 stars
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Beach, sunshine and relaxation

, Hanwell , NB
2023-03-16
We booked 9 days in advance looking for time on nice sunny beach, warm water and relaxation. Just needed to get away from things life had thrown at us. Mission accomplished.

There was very little international liquor available and what was there was not what 99 percent would want. They ran out of red wine 3 days in. No milk 3 days in. No fish except one dish in buffet which had crab and razor clam shells all throught it.

Did not do an ala carte because others said it was the same as the buffet, just a little fancier and cold. Two grilling stations for all three meals. Food was tasty and hot, meat was chicken or pork. Buffet was cold and unheated. Bread was good as was coldcuts and veggies. Juice was not identified, but no orange juice. No yogurt. Ice cream available for lunch n supper. Pizza was available around 4, never had any.

The room like the resort is old and worn out and needs some upgrades. Take your own facecloths and some toilet paper. Ran out of toilet paper twice (no kleenex) asked and was told I'd have to wait until maid came in by one of the butlers. Some of the staff seemed indifferent to your requests, some broke their backs. Our good butler, Carlos was very helpful when needed, Jai has an attitude. Our favorite servers (we sat outside) were Helvy and Nimeirys who at the end anticipated what we wanted without us asking. Other servers when we asked for coffee told us we could get it at the bar.

We knew there would be things we wanted that wasn't going to be there. We booked 9 days in advance. We didn't let things ruin the trip, we essentially got what we went for. 25 years of traveling south, 4th time in Cuba, probably the last. [Details]
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The strong points
The beach is beautiful white sand, water was warm with no breaker waves when wind was normal. Some staff did what they could to help. Good water pressure, lots of hot water.
The weak points
The hotel is worn out and needs some upgrades. Warm buffet would be a huge step forward. Teaching some staff how to work in the service industry would also help. One veteran very disappointing, her education gave her attitude.
Certified

Personal

, Montréal, QC
2023-02-23
Experience good. Staff 5 start hotel 1 star. Room lacked ammenities and cleanliness. Definitely needs a face-lift. Bathrooms are very bad bad. Toilet seats broken and bathtub extremely dangerous. Should only have walk in showers. Unable to control AC.
Towels not changed very often.
Hotel definitely a lack of attention. [Details]
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The strong points
Staff 5 stars
The weak points
Mentioned above.
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It was all the little things...

, Toronto, ON
2023-02-22
It's not that the entire experience was bad, most was good. It was just all the little things that brought my overall rating down to a 3.

For this review, I am only comparing our experience here with other resorts in Cuba (we've been all over the Caribbean). We visited this resort three weeks after the hurricane in 2017, and we recall that being a better experience. Cuba is still having some supply issues, but that is not relevant to my review of the resort itself.

To start with the good, our two main butlers were great. We did not utilize them all that much, mostly to book dinner reservations. We spent quite a bit of time with one of our butlers though. Twice, late in the evening, he spent some time with us chatting about Cuba and his life. We really enjoyed that time with him. The food at most of the A La Carte restaurants was very good. The beach was amazing, so was the beach grill (I had a plate of three grilled meats, the ribs and chicken were excellent). The grounds are beautiful, clean, and well kept. Most of the bartenders were really friendly and helped with drink suggestions when we asked. Our maid did an excellent job, she was super friendly and left us a towel/blanket origami thing every day.

Two of the best meals we had were off the resort. When we had a backup butler one day, that turned into a terrible experience. First we were offered 8:00 PM dinner reservations, which we decided to decline. Then when we returned to our rooms later in the day we had dinner reservations for 6:30 PM. Then around 6:00 PM another butler showed up and offered us a 7:00 PM reservation to a "special" dinner (a secret pop-up type of restaurant). When we tried to go there for 7:00 PM, we were given the run-around on where it was located, then driven around the resort on a cart for 10 minutes before being dropped off at the wrong location. After another 15 minutes of trying to find out what was going on, it turned out this secret dinner was canceled due to staffing issues. We went to our original restaurant that had the 6:30 reservation to see if they could accommodate us, they said they could. We were sat at 7:40 PM and did not finish our meal until about 9:45 PM. We waited over an hour for our entrees due to issues in the kitchen. The worst part of this was the total lack of communication. Had they been straight with us about what was going on, we would have gone to the buffet instead. The staff at times did not seem to really care, or were lazy, or borderline rude. I can't count the number of times I was cut off by staff, where I had to stop dead in my tracks or slam into them. They wouldn't even excuse themselves. One staff hollered to me from 15 feet away to take my drink order so she would not have to walk around the railing. We had a spill one night around 3:00 AM. Since the phone in our room did not work I walked to the lobby to ask for new sheets. I walked back to the lobby about an hour later to ask again since none had shown up yet (the reception guy was asleep both times I went to the lobby, he had to be woken up by another staff member). Someone showed up with sheets 5 minutes after I got back to the room the 2nd time. Carts were either coming in droves or non-existent. When we were checking out, 4 carts showed up to collect us and our luggage (this shows a complete lack of organization). Yet, we once waited at the market for 30 minutes to have no cart show up and then took a 20 minute walk back to the Sanctuary side. Normally I like a nice walk, but I'm currently in physio and should not have been walking that much.

I think most of the challenges we had could be summed up to poor management and training. [Details]
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The strong points
Beautiful beaches, nice pool & grounds, adults only, and some very nice staff (our butler Carlos was our favorite).
The weak points
Some of the staff did not care, and even worse some were very lazy.
Certified

Sanctuary grand memories

, Lower Sackville, NS
2023-02-04
This was a beautiful resort. People and staff were amazing. Weather was perfect. We had two butlers that were amazing Luis and I forgot the girls name. However we had one butler that was very nice. But never followed threw with what he said he would do. He messed up our reservations 3 nights with the restaurants. One night he forgot to book it so gave us what was left. Next we book one restaurant and it was for 630 by 6pm we had to call to see why we still had not got confirmation. And 3rd we had for the restaurants that had the air conditioning and he booked us for the opposite one in the heat. His name was Rudy.

However there were a few things that we wished we better. One the food was repetitive everyday at the buffets. Selection was poor due to shortages. The restaurants there was only 2 that would change every night. But there was no selection . They were also short on alcohol choices either rum or tequila.
In our room we were supose to have room service but the phones never worked but first day.
We were also supose to have wifi but never worked anywhere the whole week we were there
We are assuming they had staff shortages as well as they never had staff around the pool or on the beaches to take drink orders as they had in the past.

Over all we enjoyed our stay except for the food. We are chalking it up to being closed for 2 years due to covid and just not everything worked out yet getting back to business. [Details]
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The strong points
Service over all was amazing at the restaurants and bars. And the carts they had to take you to other parts of resorts they ran very frequently and would take you where ever you wanted.
The weak points
Food and wifi did not care really about wifi . But the food. Needs lots a work. We were surprised to be in a tropical place and not a coconut to be found in anything. Haha also no chicken.
Certified

Great staff and beautiful scenery

, Ajax, ON
2022-10-30
The staff were kind and did their best for me to enjoy my stay. They work so hard. I saw the gardeners using machete, as opposed to motorized equipment, to cut the grass and hedging. They were always pleasant and appreciated when you try to learn and speak their language. My butler always asked about my day and if I needed anything. The beach is gorgeous. I had guava ice cream there for the first time... yummy.
The nightly entertainment featured talented dancers. The three nights I saw them, I enjoyed their performances everytime. [Details]
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The strong points
The staff The beach
The weak points
Food can be repetitive but I always found something delicious to eat. I didn't like that the clean plates looked greasy. Perhaps they are short on dish soap; the country is experiencing shortage of everything afterall.
Certified

Sanctuary Grand Memories

, Oshawa, ON
2022-06-30
Only thing good was the warm weather, the beach and the Cuban people!
Music so loud, hard to find a quiet place…not even your room!
Mosquitoes just about eat you alive!
Flies crawling all over the food!
Took 4 days to repair a toilet seat!
Came home and tested positive for Covid! [Details]
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Sanitary measures (Covid-19)
Very little
Certified

Santuary at Grand Memories

, Toronto, ON
2022-06-17
Fabulous beach. Very clean and well maintained property and grounds. Excellent attentive and friendly staff. Room was great: clean. no lack of towels or hot water. AC worked fine. Would reccomend this place. [Details]
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The strong points
Fabulous beach. Very clean and well maintained property and grounds. Excellent attentive and friendly staff.
The weak points
Mosquitos and flys. Buffet bit tiresome. No labelling for food allergies. No a la carte Saturday and Sunday, so we had 8 meals in a row at buffet. Thank god for burgers at beach grill. Lack of hand rails at outdoor stairs.
Sanitary measures (Covid-19)
Don't know
Certified

Romantic couple

, Regina, SK
2022-06-07
This was the most romantic place ive been to.
Privacy is an option and party is also an option.
The cooks are amazing and will cater to you anytime of day!
The water is crystal clear like nothing ive ever seen before . The staff will go above and beyond to make youre tropical getaway as special and personal as possible! [Details]
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The strong points
The beauty of the beach. The scenery. The workers
The weak points
Covid has some things closed not many tho Its not inside cuba city directly so if looking for the real city , not for you!

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Cayo Santa Maria

, Ingersoll, ON
2020-03-19
Great week at this hotel. [Details]
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The strong points
Excellent food at the buffets. Staff friendly and helpful. Room was clean and bed and pillows are comfortable.
The weak points
A la carte meals were cold. Bathtub is large but difficult to get in and out. Tub plumbing is old and water pressure is low.
Certified

Grand Memories 2020

, Great Village, HA
2020-03-11
Dated but clean, upgrades were in progress during our visit (second visit here) Water pressure is awesome. The first day was not perfect, took a couple days to get beach towels. A comfortable place to stay, bed very comfortable, view was great.Awesome staff, Yoel Ibanez, Carlos and the rest of the staff were superb from house keepers Heydi, to wait staff, Ravelo, Carlos (cannot remember the names of everyone) to grounds workers. Everyone made us feel welcome. [Details]
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The strong points
Customer Service, great choice of food, wonderful beach and pool
The weak points
7 day visit includes almost 2 days travel, so a 10 day visit would be better.
Certified

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Santa Maria

, Georgetown, ON
2020-03-07
Overall it was a great experience, being at Adults Only resort the other 2 resorts were easily accessible via Golf Cart transportation and food choices at the ala carte restaurants were very enjoyable. I would recommend this resort and would definitely go back! [Details]
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The strong points
Awesome breakfast buffet, great burgers & pulled chicken sandwiches at poolside bbq hut, very friendly staff (spoke very good English), clean and bright buildings, beautiful and well maintained grounds, close proximity to pool and beach areas.
The weak points
No diet soft drinks available anywhere, pool bar ran out of certain alcohols every day, alcohol available in liquor cabinets in room were poorly chosen and therefore remained un-used during our stay. Bathtub difficult to get in & out of for showering.
Certified

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Cayo Santa Maria

, Lanesville, NS
2020-02-01
This was my second trip to this resort. I had an amazing time. Our butlers Yoel and Carlos were absolutely wonderful ! We had great a la carte every night but one. The Italian and Mediterranean were our favourites. [Details]
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The strong points
The service provided was great. The grounds looked wonderful and well kept. Our room was good, fully stocked and always clean. The wait staff were great, special thanks to my friend Ravelo who always out does himself, and Barbarita for superb service.
The weak points
The buffet the first 2 days was not as good as last year but there was a lot of fresh fruit & salad options. Last year I saw 0 bugs, this year in the last few days the no-see-ums loved me & came home with some welts, just pack bug spray
Certified

Amazing

, Leduc, AB
2019-11-30
PARADISE
Thats all i can say, it was an amazing week at the Sanctuary. I enjoyed everything and a must for the beach as well the staff. [Details]
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The strong points
Beach its 5 stars all the staff were amazing everything i need they were ready to help and give me what i need.
The weak points
Entertaining i just had 2 nights good to watch and also they should improve some food aspects like not leaving to long food out of the fridge.
Certified

Alright

, Sherwood Park , AB
2019-11-28
Overall good time. Our week seemed to have have almost everybody fal ill but i think the problem ended up getting resolved. [Details]
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The strong points
People we met with
The weak points
Everyone got sick
Certified

Marvallous

, Saint Bruno de Montarville, QC
2019-11-15
Staff was like they couldn't do enough for us. Grounds were so well kept. Buildings were well taken care of. Rooms were recently painted but as per most Cuban resorts the furnishing was dated but clean except for the metal head board which was rusty. The bed linen was clean with some water stains on the bed skirt. Ample amount and wide variety of food at buffet. Did use the buffet at Grand Memories and this was very "busy" and we will leave it at that. The overall beach was fantastic but the reserved section for Sanctuary guests had limited shade and part of this beach was washed away during a recent high tide surge. had an issue with the shower and within 2 hrs it had been repaired WOW great job. Strong suggestion is bring after bite [Details]
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The strong points
Staff, grounds food beach.
The weak points
Can't think of anything to really mention.
Certified

Cheap vacation , you get what you paid for

, Bowmanville, ON
2019-11-09
It was fine. The beds were okay, linens clean but worn, with the odd rip or stain. The room was cleanish, but don't look in the corners. Air conditioning worked great and the ocean view was beautiful, but overall probably the worst room we've stayed in.

The food was poor, you won't go hungry and there is lots of bread and cheese. The Italian was the best restaurant, the international awful. We didn't try any others. We weren't surprised. It's Cuba after all.

The drinks were strong, but there wasn't a lot of mix. Quality of the booze was low. The red wine was okay but I would stay away from the white. There was no sparkling.

The beach was beautiful, but watch out for the sand fleas. The pool was wonderful and clean with lots of loungers available.

The people were lovely, but there is a very strong tipping culture. Overall we received decent service, not great service. Many times we had to make multiple requests for even getting a refill on coffee at breakfast. Sometimes it never even came.

We didn't see any shows or interact with the entertainment staff so can't comment on that.

Check in and check out were both amazingly efficient.

The bus ride was very long. [Details]
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The strong points
Great pool and beach. The manager, Ricardo was exceptional. We had an issue changing money and were lied to by front desk staff. We sought out Ricardo and he set things straight.
The weak points
Food, booze and room.
Certified

My trip

, Oshawa, ON
2019-10-30
I really enjoyed the awsome staff . The food was surprisingly good compared to other resorts I have been to . I enjoyed my experience emensly and I will return [Details]
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The strong points
Staff friendliness and willingness to help with anything they could
The weak points
Updating maintenance would help but given present shipping problems they are doing best they can
Certified

Gorgeous beach

, Richnond , BC
2019-04-27
Four of us stayed at the Sanctuary for a week in April. The hotel itself is almost 25 years old and in desperate need of repairs and upgrading, definitely not luxurious or upscale in any way. That being said, it had all we required for a comfortable and pleasant stay as we really only used our room to sleep. We especially loved the beautiful turquoise water with powder soft sand, and we spent many hours swimming and lounging at it. There are areas for adults only, families, and young travellers. All of the staff were amazing as always in Cuba, they work hard and deserve to be tipped generously! Although we will not return to this particular resort as we prefer more modern/luxurious accommodations, if you find a good price, I recommend it to anyone who does not mind an older hotel. [Details]
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The strong points
Wonderful staff, beautiful beach, well kept grounds, large pools, not overly busy, frequent shuttles, butler service, variety of restaurants
The weak points
Very rundown/outdated buildings, poor wifi, no in room amenities, poorly stocked store that closed early, no foam party as advertised, isolated location
Certified

Sanctuary - Cayo Santa Maria

, Montréal, QC
2019-04-22
I had an excellent 2 weeks at this resort. When I arrived I thought it was a little dated, could certainly use a coat of fresh paint. But I very quickly stopped focusing on that as the total experience was excellent. From the friendly and cordial attention of the staff to the excellent food and finally the magnificent beach, there is everything here for a lovely vacation. The A la carte restaurants (which in fact is only in one location - only the theme changes every night) were very good. Went to the buffet at the Grand Memories only on the last night and wished we had gone more often! The choices were abundant and the food was also excellent. The only negative for me was how quiet it was at the Sanctuary. Evening entertainment activities are done by 11:00 p.m.! I would certainly return there. Some of the more memorable on staff:
Lobby Bar: Yadira, Dairon, Luciano, Yandriel
Pool Bar: Carlos and Rey
Breakfast Buffet: Orbe
Our Butlers: Mercedes and Zadya
Entertainment Staff: Leyvin and Osmany

They made our stay very special! [Details]
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The strong points
Beach, food, staff
The weak points
Some repairs required, not enough palapas on the beach (all reserved by 6:00 am). Evening entertainment could be improved.
Certified

Cuba does not learn...

, Toronto, ON
2019-03-28
Mother nature's gift of a beautiful property with pristine waters, white sand beach and lush greenery and likely high initial investment made into the properly has been spoiled by poor workmanship, mismanagement and lack of interest from staff working there.
One would think that after so many years of being in a hospitality industry and relying on the funds and jobs created as result, Cuba would learn from its past mistakes. Sadly, it is definitely not the case!
You still see the very poor quality of work (doors not closing, paint splattered all over, parts not installed properly). Staff in positions of daily contact with the public (eg. wait staff) only speak their native language and do not make an effort to understand. Management should insist that staff in these positions posses at least basic language skills. Staff is poorly trained not having skills to do their jobs (wait staff in ala cart restaurants appear frazzled, disorganized, dropping things, etc). The resort itself is poorly managed with our arrival of handful people being a total disaster! No one was around to help us check in letting us wait after a long journey. Other Memories resorts in Cuba (Varadero, Cayo Coco) has this process down pat! Doesn't the management across the chain share their practices?
I've been to Cuba, in various locations and resorts, about 25 times over the past 20 years. I've been to Memories in Cuba 4 times. This resort has one of the highest rating but I would not rate it more than 3 stars!!!
Little effort, education and strong management would make a tremendous difference. [Details]
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The strong points
beautiful beach, spectacular ocean, great property layout, spacious rooms, affordable wifi with reception in rooms and beach
The weak points
dirty beach - never cleaned, lack of shade (no umbrellas unless you are up at 6 am), poor workmanship, unqualified and disinterested staff, management
Certified

Beautiful beaches

, Orillia, ON
2019-03-07
We had an overall great trip. The beaches there were phenomenal and the pools and grounds/landscaping were very beautiful. We were able to get a cabana on the beach 90% of the time because we were Diamond members and they had a reserved section. The weather was perfect the whole time. Our room was nice. The entertainment was very good the dancers were amazing. The food on the other hand at the resort was horrible and I'm not picky about food but it was really bad, and they would run out of stuff a lot and meat wouldn't be cooked most of the time (beach burgers were always raw inside, “bacon” at the buffets was raw, etc.) not a lot of options, ended up eating bread and butter a lot. The service at the resort was very tip driven, staff won't give you proper services unless you tip them each time (they wouldn't book our al a cartes until I gave them $5 for example) and they aren't super friendly but nice enough. Also the bathrooms hardly ever had toilet paper or toilet seats or a lock on the door. Everything at the resort seemed a little run down. [Details]
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The strong points
Beaches, pools, grounds
The weak points
Food and customer service
Certified

First Visit to Cuba

, Oakville, ON
2019-02-26
This was our first visit to Cuba and to this resort so we don't have a point of comparison. The section of the resort we stayed in was Sanctuary, which is an adults only part of the resort.
The staff were friendly and most helpful. Always cheerful and polite. [Details]
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The strong points
Beach is perfect. Pool area always clean, food was adequate, drinks were plentiful.
The weak points
Not enough shade at pool or beach. One member of our party was getting up at 5 am to save a place in the shade. A few shortages during our stay, bread, bottled water, beer, white wine. Dinner reservations time & location challenging, there were 6 of us.
Certified

Cuban Paradise

, Calgary, AB
2019-02-25
The hotel, while in need of a few minor updates, is clean and comfortable. The grounds are well kept. [Details]
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The strong points
The staff is most definitely the reason for repeat visitors. Everyone goes out of their way to make sure your vacation is an enjoyable one. You can walk into the lounge and the wait staff will remember what you like to drink!
The weak points
If I had to list a weak point, it would be that the lineups at the grills in the buffet could be long.
Certified

Delightful vacation

, Chateauguay, QC
2019-02-25
We visited Sanctuary at Grand Memories in mid December of 2018. In my opinion considering the price you pay and the benefits & services you get for your money, this is the best hotel fin Cuba for adults. The personnel is amazing, our butlers Yagniel and Pedro (building 60, 3rd floor) are great people, always ready to help with all our requests. They go above and beyond of what is expected of them to make you feel welcome and cared for. Upon our arrival, due to an error of our travel agency, there was no room booked for us. So check-in officer offered a room that was available at that moment, but the next day Antonio, the Sanctuary General Manager, and the Grand Memories General Manager apologized and upgraded our room to an ocean-view. We were really happy, it was clean and the mini bar was always refilled. The Cleaning Lady (sorry cannot remember her name) did a great job. We felt all personnel were doing everything to offer great service and to make our vacation unforgettable. Needles to say the beach is beautiful and having a separate calmer beach for Sanctuary guests was definitely a plus. The animation team was doing an excellent job too. Food was delicious with at least three kinds of freshly grilled fish, shrimp and five kinds of grilled meat during lunchtime. In the evening we dined in a la carte restaurants scheduled by our butler. We liked the Mexican and Mediterranean. There was always a vast choice of veggies, fruits and other dishes in the Sanctuary restaurant, fresh smoothies and juice at breakfast. You could always find something to eat even if you're a picky eater. Considering the food supply in Cuba, we were literally amazed at the food choice and variety offered at this hotel (varieties of cheese, hams, prosciuttos, Serrano, smoked salmon, olives, nuts, salad dressings, dips, etc.) The food is at par with Royalton or Paradisus (in Cuba). The personnel at the restaurant and kitchen was awesome too, Sheila or Cheila, Roberto and others, again sorry I couldn't remember their names. Also at the bar Luciano, Umberto, Yoanis (apologies if misspelled). We tried the lobster dinner menu for 22CUC it was delicious, but the hotel organizes a lobster /sushi buffet on Thursdays where you can eat all you can & want for free☺ It was a gracious gesture on behalf of Sanctuary management team to personally attend and serve the guests during the buffet. There was always somebody from the management who supervised and coached the personnel at the restaurant. All in all we really enjoyed our vacation, loved those incredible people working at the hotel and would come back anytime. Delightful ☺ [Details]
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The strong points
Amazing stuff, delicious food, beautiful beach
The weak points
Rooms are in need of renovation and upgrade.

Sanctuary at Memories Resort Cayo Santa Maria

, Saskatoon, SK
2019-02-24
Overall our experience at this resort was good. The service, cleanliness and amenities made our stay very positive. We were well prepared for travel to Cuba. We were cognizant of the fact that this country is under an embargo by the wealthiest country in the world- 60 years worth. Nearly everything you get is supplied locally so we harboured no illusions of cruise ship quality buffets and a la carte. Food selection was a disappointment but there are BBQs going if you feel the need for a great burger. The pool(s) are spectacular as is the beach. There are more than enough loungers and we found that to be uncommon in our experience. Transportation around the 3 resorts was great. Love those extended golf carts! The genuine warmth of the abundant staff was inspiring. Most of the staff do not have command of English but that was never a problem. Staff that are in key positions speak English so it's not even close to being an issue. We had 2 regular Butlers who alternated days. Leon was an absolute prince of a guy who managed our activities superbly. Carlos did a great job as well. It is worthy of a shout out to our regular room server ( Anerika). Lovely woman whom we enjoyed guessing what each other was saying. Good fun! The daily entertainment at the Lobby was a pleasant surprise. The musicians and vocalists were way above average! Enjoyed our stay here but bring DEET. Those little midges played hell with my wife. Our room was spacious and clean but needed a bit of mechanical/technical attention. The bath taps were not properly secured to the wall. Were without TV for a day but we weren't there to watch TV. You should be prepared to tip. No one had their hand out and no one was ignored because they didn't tip but the staff's appreciation for a simple tip was genuine. The average monthly salary in Cuba is about $9.00 so figure it out. Tips are shared. [Details]
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The strong points
Cleanliness. Warmth of the large staff was the strongest point. The common facilities are great. Grounds and gardens are beautiful. 4 bottle liquor dispenser in every room. 2 litres of water, 3 cans of pop and 3 cans of beer in the mini fridge every day.
The weak points
The room that we occupied was in some need of mechanical and technical service. It was not enough to ask for a relocation. The food selection and quality ( a la carte and buffet) was less than expected.
Certified

FANTASTIC VACATION

, Saskatoon, SK
2019-02-22
We traveled to Sanctuary February 13 to February 20. This was our fifth trip to Memories but the first since the resort was divided into three individual resorts.
Our flight arrived early which was a bit of a bonus and the trip to the resort was relaxing and very enjoyable. We traveled with friends who were on their first trip to Cuba so they loved the trip through the countryside.
Check-in at Sanctuary was quick and we were in our room in Building 61 in just minutes. Our room was clean and spacious and the towel art our maid provided was enjoyed.
A big shout-out to our butlers, Leon and Carlos, they worked tirelessly and we can't say enough about what they added to our vacation experience.
I wish we could remember more names of the staff we came in contact with because they make us want to go back every year. A special thank you to Rabelo and the young lady in the lobby bar (with student on her name tag).
We had no complaint on any of our meal choices and found the staff very helpful in making food selections.
The beach is absolutely beautiful and probably one of the best in the Caribbean. Beach lounges are plentiful and the attendants working the area are quite helpful.
The only complaint we had at the pool was guests who claim an area in the shade by the pool and don't show up all day. Other than that the pool is clean and well kept.
My wife and I enjoyed every minute of our stay and recommend Sanctuary to all our friends.
Also I would like to acknowledge Sunwing Airlines. There was a situation on the return trip that was handled quickly and professionally.
To all our Sanctuary friends...see you next February. [Details]
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The strong points
The staff make the resort a special place.
The weak points
The buildings are a little threadbare.
Certified

Awesome vacation - will return!!

, Great Village, NS
2019-02-06
Clean, great staff, any problems with the room were corrected promptly.
Only suggestion would be to place lemon balm plants around to keep mosquitos at bay - got caught behind the smoker one night. Not a fan. Took a couple of days to figure what food to eat and bus vs cart to shopping area... but all in all verrrry pleased. Tried new foods, love some, disliked some, but there was always variety of meats, salads, fish, fruit, etc. Water pressure awesome and air conditioner worked very well. Loved my view and patio. Enjoyed the nightly entertainment as well as the pool side entertainment in the afternoon. Enjoyed our day trip on the catamaran. Paying extra to swim with the dolphin was worth the 10 pesos. Will probably purchase the flight day trip to Havana next vacation. Stayed in Sanctuary (adults only section). [Details]
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The strong points
super customer service
Certified

First time in Cuba

, Granville Ferry, NS
2019-02-05
We visited this resort January 10th-17th, it was just my husband and I and our first time in Cuba. The resort is about 90 minutes from the airport so we didn't do any excursions due to the length of time they would be being so far from anything. This is a pay for 1 play at 3 resort. The first resort is Memories, the second Grand Memories (both family resorts) then finally Sanctuary, if you are at Memories you stay at Memories, if you are at Grand Memories then you can go to Memories as well and if you are sanctuary you may go to all three, that was a huge plus as it gets quite dull at sanctuary in the evening, entertainment and theatre were over at Grand Memories come evening, and excellent entertainment I might add! Our room was great, no issues however the dresser for instance the drawers don't stay straight they all fall out, we had a ground floor room, bed was huge, AC worked great, bathroom is out dated but it's Cuba I didnt go there expecting immaculate, the grounds are gorgeous and there is a made (fake) town between the Memories resorts and the Royalton next door it was about a 10-15 minute walk from sanctuary to it and there is a path straight through all the resorts to get you there which was super neat we made two trips to it definitely worth going to lol it was our only excursion! The pool is beautiful as well, cold most days until mid afternoon, however you can't swim in the evening tho it is lit up with gorgeous lights and an adult only resort so we thought you should be able to swim until 9-10 anyway, we had stayed in an adult resort in Jamaica and the pool was lit beautifully and they did have it open in the evening, along with the pool bar,however it is a beautiful open set up and the pool bar boys Rey and Carlos are super, the bathroom at the pool was closed so much for the ladies room which was inconvenient as there is only one more bathroom up in the lobby so I used the men's. Our butler was Michelle, she was a sweetie, and though her English wasn't great she did try super hard to work with us on what we were needing and asking for,they all work very hard! The lobby, the bar was fantastic the gentlemen working it are all awesome! They love making their surprise drinks (and let them because most of them are delish). Food, well I was told by many the food is not great but there is something for everyone. You just have to be cautious of what your eating and obviously making sure it's hot because we do notice some issues with the food, buffet was breakfast no complaints as even the pickiest person will find something, their omelettes are great! Now the a'la carts were the only option at sanctuary for supper, there was seafood and international, neither of us like seafood so that was out, we did international one night and there wasn't enough on the menu we liked to repeat it but that's not on the resort that's personal preference so we at at the Grand Memories for supper each night which they do have buffet nightly for supper. So the issues we did have with food was in the evening at sanctuary behind the lobby bar, where buffet is in the morning is the night snack station as well, they offer fries, hot dogs on hamburger buns, hamburgers, chicken and pizza, we ate some fries a couple evenings in the beginning of our stay no issues, later in our stay we had gone out to wait for a snack and noted cockroaches near the pizza crust station which we never ate pizza anyway, it's all open so bugs are going To happen but should not be visible near food that is being prepared for guests to ingest. The only other food issue is same spot another night we watched cross contamination, the chef put pizza in the oven, then chopped raw chicken breast on the cutting board and used tongs from the fry warmer to put the breasts on the grill and then put the tongs back in the fry holder and removed the pizzas from the oven setting them on the wooded cutting board he had just chopped the chicken breast on at which point we just walked away and decided we weren't snacking there from that evening on. In his defence he was super busy as a load of new tourists had just arrived at 10pm and they were all starving as well as drunk people already there, it was my personal preference to walk away after the cross contamination it might not bother some tho in a foreign country especially it wouldn't take much to make one sick so it shouldn't have happened. We had also spotted cockroaches at the Grand Memories restaurant as well so they arent just at sanctuary.The bathrooms in the lobby smell, were flooded a lot and you need to put your toilet paper in the garbage can, take toilet paper and hand sanitizer as most of the time there is no soap either. The beach.. most beautiful beach I have ever been to!! Take bug spray as well, the only spot they bothered me was the beach and I had to reapply bug spray often but the rest of the resort they didn't bother me and they love to chew on me.Everyone there wants to help you! The grill by the beach is a must try he makes the best sandwiches and the grill by the pool is awesome as well!The people, I can't say enough for how pleasant happy and helpful they are! The chicken man, he drove one of the carts, (super sense of humour) deserves a mention he along with all of them are non stop with driving everyone to and from the resorts. These people are easy to communicate with which is a huge plus and they really try hard to if they don't speak English well, everyone smiles and says hola, I would definitely come back even just for the people! And I'd take my 3 kids to Grand Memories as well! Thanks for the great week! [Details]
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Certified

Relaxing week away. Would absolutely return!

, Oshawa, ON
2019-01-14
Beautiful country and incredible people!
In our opinion a solid 3 star resort.
The check in process was simple and we were able to start our vacation as soon as we arrived. The staff members are very professional and within a couple of days became so warm and friendly they felt like family. Even though we stayed at the Sanctuary, we also spent a fair bit of time at the Grand Memories as well. We were warmly welcomed at both.
A word of caution, the washrooms are often in horrible condition. Even though they are cleaned regularly, it is nowhere near often enough to accommodate the amount of tourists at the resort. Carry your own supply of toilet paper.
The food is very hit and miss. Some dishes were fabulous, some inedible. The pork and fish dishes were okay, the beef completely inedible. The Spanish Coffee however is wonderful enough to make you want to book for another week.
The shows at the theatre are entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable. The live musicians put on a wonderful show making you want to stay for just one more song.
If you are looking for a place to relax, enjoy the weather and decompress from the challenges of everyday life, this is the place to go. [Details]
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The strong points
The people! Everyone was wonderful but we must give a special thank you to Lisandra and Jesus at Sanctuary and Celida and Dayanay at Grand Memories. They all went above and beyond to make our stay even more special. You are all fondly remembered.
The weak points
The condition of the washrooms was the definite low point of our vacation. Please note, a strong bug spray is a definite need. We thankfully brought some, but would have been miserable without it.
Certified

Fabulous property

, Hamilton, ON
2019-01-05
I enjoyed my stay immensely. Beautiful property was well maintained. Food in all dining venues was very tasty and plentiful. Staff were all very friendly and and did a great job. I had a couple of small maintenance issues in the room which were addressed within a couple of hours of mentioning them to my butler.I would absolutely recommend this property.
Price was high because I was there over Christmas, so value wasn't great, but that's an issue with tour operator not with the property itself. At regular season rates I would consider this very good value for the money.
Since you can play at all 3 properties if you stay in the Sanctuary, I was able to sample the dining, and wander through the other two sections. I could definitely see a difference in quality between the three, so for the slight price difference, I would pay to stay in Sanctuary again.
Hotel is about 90 minutes drive from the airport. [Details]
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The strong points
well maintained, pleasant staff, very tasty food, lovely beach and pool areas, large room
Certified
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