Melia Las Dunas

Came to this resort with my husband for 2 weeks for our baby moon. We had a beautiful experience. Everything was perfect from the stunning views to the most amazing staff. They had entertainment every night and fun activities all day long. They really know how to have a good time here!! [Details]

Absolutely amazing resort! Super friendly and accommodating staff, fun entertainment, good food, beautiful beach. Will definitely be coming back with my family. [Details]

The staff are amazing. Ricardo in entertainment is a lot of fun, high energy and keeps the party going. Love him!! Osliedy in the beer garden is such a sweet lady, love her. If you need anything Sandra is your girl!!
She will accommodate as much as she can.T his is my 5th time here and I will keep returning as it is the best hotel in Cayo Santa Maria [Details]

The entertainment crew was one of the biggest highlights of our trip. They always have something new going and the staff is the friendliest. Beach party, white party, shows at the stage and the live cuban music are some of the most important activities in the hotel. Ricardo in particular made our trip full of fun activities and entertainment. Highly recommend! [Details]

I loved everything about Meliá, the staff, the hotel, the service, everything was perfect. Everyone is so friendly, I had such a good time practicing my Spanish with them. All of the activities were well organized and fun for all ages - I could tell that the clients enjoyed them very much. I'm 16 and I had a lot of things to do, and many people to talk to. All of the gardeners were so talkative, always saying hello! Mi mejor amigo de los jardineros se llama Frank. I also made friends with the lady who made pancakes in the morning. She is so nice and talented (she drew designs on the pancakes for the kids). There are lots of activities one can take part in. For example, my personal favourite was the aqua gym - when it was led by Ricardo. He's so engaging and is always making sure everyone is having a good time. Another thing I loved were the daily shows at night. I loved watching the dancers perform - they had a different theme every night. I watched every single one of their shows for 14 days, and even talked to them in the end. Once again, everybody is so friendly! The bar services are really good as well, a good variety of drinks and lots of friendly staff always there. I miss Meliá and all of the people I met there <3 ¡espero volver pronto! [Details]

Beach is very nice, the crew is so welcoming and fun - especially the animation crew. The activities are entertaining and engaging, my favorite was aqua gym with Ricardo, he has such good energy, and provides a fun space for all to enjoy. [Details]

J ai passé un merveilleux moment à las dunas spécialement avec Ricardo une personne vivante et agréable et généreux avec son temps et ma fille avec yeleinys au club enfants très intentionné et aimante le cite et magnifique et la plage et à coupé le souffle..... [Details]

Je suis présentement là, 22juillet au 29juillet.
Plage est magnifique! Resort super! Je dors toujours mal partout, mais j'ai super bien dormis! La nourriture est très bonne pour la
Place. Les gens sont tellement gentils, toujours de bonne humeur! Vous voulez danser ou apprendre des « moove » Ricardo is the guy! The moves he's got, wow! J'y retournerai et recommande a tous!. [Details]

Best beach I've been to! Entertainment staff is phenomenal! Ricardo on the beach always kept us busy and having a great time! Food was much better than expected! Rooms very clean and AC always working. Can't wait to come back and see all our friends! [Details]

We went to Melia Las Dunas for the week and had a blast. Thanks to their very helpful and friendly staff. Their entertainment team comprising of Eissa & Keily at the pool we're super fun and great, guiding dances, and multiple water activities. All around the staff, food and drinks were awesome! The beach was also phenomenal, as well as the water. [Details]

We are loving the stay a the hotel. Friendly staff. Great entertainment and for the kids. Kids are loving being here. Would definitely return!! [Details]

great place to visit in Cuba, amazing destination!!! the people are fantastic & the entertainment is great had lots of fun every night !! [Details]

This resort is amazing, beautiful beach, pool and staff! The staff made our vacation amazing. The entertainment every night was so fun, and the entertainment manager Ricardo was so nice! This is our new go to resort. [Details]

Great experience, very helpful staff, spacious room, clean, delicious and tasteful food, beach super clean, lots of entertainment activities ( white party, Latino show, Cuban show) for kids and adults. I met with very friendly guys, Ricardo, so impressed with his gentleness and very friendly, speaks English well. Manuel, and Ricardo. I really enjoyed my stay in Melia Las Duna and I can't wait to my next trip, Melia Las Dunas! [Details]

Very nice hotel and very nice people. Entertainment activities were fantastic, crew never failed to impress. The beach is beautiful as well, very safe and clean. Resort service all together was amazing. Ricardo, Alejandro, Aramis, Kaylee, Elianys great people make sure all contributed to our fantastic stay. [Details]

Adoré notre séjour au Mélia Las Dunas. Le personnel fait la différence. Merci ! [Details]

Melia Las Dunas Hotel is a great one. I'm so happy that I discovered this hotel. I highly recommended.
But the price is little bit high. [Details]

We just returned from a week at Melia Las Dunas. This was our second time. I had emailed ahead and requested an accessible room as both my husband and I have some mobility concerns. We arrived to find we were booked in a lovely accessible room in building 44. The room was clean and bright, close to the read pool and the beach access. Thank you so much for so graciously taking care of our request.
We ate exclusively at the buffet as my husband likes plain things. We always found enough to eat and the staff were fabulous. I would love to see more cooked vegetables but realize they may not be readily available. Tip: go at the start of mealtimes for a quieter experience with shorter lines for the cooking stations.
This resort is large but we were on vacation and took our time.
Tip: Go enjoy your vacation, the Cuban staff work hard, be polite and cheerful...relax and don't stress the small stuff. Enjoy the beauty!
Thank you to all your staff for a relaxing time, just what we needed and hoped for. [Details]

Resort too big. SOOOO much walking to get to any where. Too many people. Buffet loud and large line ups. Mini bar in room suppose to stocked daily....never happened, even after several complaints to maid and special services. Coffee pot and cups in room but no tea or coffee even after several requests. [Details]

The biggest thing for people to remember is that this is an older hotel that had been struck by a hurricane over 2 years ago and is constantly under renovation. The people that work in the resort consistently go out of their way to make your trip special. Not everyone you meet will have a connection with you, but there are several that will.

The room, there are problems with it. There is a mouldy moisture smell which happens in older buildings and ones where high levels of humidity are. The air conditioning worked, the shower had warmish hot water most of the time and the mini bar was always stalked up. The maids are always helpful and around if you need them.

In the regards to the buffet, the only negative I have is the repetitiveness of the food, but it was always edible and tasty. There are several stations that cook food at the moment and the line ups are long, that got frustrating but understandable for most people. The fresh juice station is amazing and the ladies that work their are beyond friendly and courteous.

The a la carte's were great as long as you don't go in expecting too much, for example the Pad Thai isn't the same as we eat in Canada but still good. The Mediterranean is my favourite more for the service than the food but still amazing.

There are two pools, one on the adult only section which is super quiet and serene. The family pool can get a little loud but is a great time. Seats can be limited at busy times, best to get your seats early.

The beach is amazing. Probably the most beautiful in the whole world. There is nothing more stunning than there.

To be perfectly honest there are probably several nicer resorts in Cayo Santa Maria at this price point, but you can't go wrong here. The people at the Las Dunas are some of the nicest and loving people on the planet. If you want to be safe with good food, a clean resort, and great service this is the resort for you. Looking forward to going back for my fourth time next year. [Details]

I enjoyed my stay. The hotel is a little dated and worn but extremely clean. Staff is very friendly and helpful. The beach is the nicest I've seen. White sand . Plenty of beach chairs and towels. I was told that the food in Cuba is bland and not very good. It was the opposite. Plenty of variety at the buffet and you get to choose 3 complimentary restaurants. Many of the meats and fish are cooked to order. Planning to visit again next year. [Details]

We travelled as a family of 4. 5 year old and a 7 year old. Great for families lots of entertainment for the kids. Line ups can be long at the buffet but if you time it right it's fine.
Rooms were great. We stayed on the second floor. Beds were comfy always had clean towels. We always tipped our maid and left her some goodies.
Was our first trip to Cuba and we enjoyed it [Details]

Hotel location and general condition is quite good. my MAJOR dis-appointment was in the food quality and verity, even to Cuba standard this hotel restaurants was extremely bad, it is clearly much below average. Clearly it not a 4.5 stars standard I would give it 3.5 just because of the food. Both the buffet and a la carte restaurant food quality and verity is a major disappointment. restaurant staff were outstanding, the main problem is in the kitchen, the head Chef (if we can say they have one) has clear taste problem..... If they want to stay as 4-4.5 star they need to address this issue. the Buffet organization make it very difficult to get get egg or olmec for breakfast or grill anything for lunch unless you are willing to wait more than 30 minutes. Clearly, because of their food deficiency, they should not be classified as a 4.5 star hotel. [Details]

We are a family of 4 and stayed from December 24-31st at Melia Las Dunas. This is our 6th time to Cuba. Are first time during x-mas, ..The food was good, the a la carte restaurant Asian was the best, after Isabel y Fernado, Italian was pizza, but for the Cuban resto not good, the beach was very nice, the staff was very nice, the red wine was not good, but in general it was very nice to be on vacation with my family, I would go again in Cuba. [Details]

We got a nice deal for this vacation because of the dates (returned on Christmas night), and kids stayed free. I would be so much more disappointed if we paid the regular price.

Overall experience was negative. This was our first time in Cuba. Before that we were in 3.5 stars in Egypt, 4 stars in Turkey and Greece [Details]

I've been to Melia Las Dunas many times now with my family.

My favourite things about the resort:
- The beach is really incredible
- The lobby bar is open 24hrs which makes checking in and out very pleasant no matter the time of day
- They ofter have follow-along style dancing after dinner under the open sky
- Live Cuban music on some days
- Amazing cappuccinos

Least favourite things about the resort:
- Service isn't consistent across the resort. In the buffet, depending on which waiter you get, you might have to wait a while before your table is served, while other waiters are very timely. Most of the restaurants have terrific waiters, but the Italian Pizzeria should have remained a snack bar in my opinion (they don't have enough staff or room to act as a restaurant).
- The last time we went, they didn't always have ingredients for all the drinks. Sometimes it wasn't possible to get a mojito or a pina colada for part of the day.
- They have some delicious food options, but you have to know what they are. Otherwise you'll be sampling a lot of things before you find what's good.

For me, the beach is the main reason for going to Cuba, so this resort is great. For the price I paid, I am happy with the value I received. [Details]

me and my wife had a great time made some good friends wiyh many of the staff and other vacationers [Details]

Hotel was clean and comfortable. Pool and beach area was clean and comfortable.

The restaurants staff and food was very good
The bar staff was very attentive and friendly .
At no time did I feel unsafe.
Good Experiene [Details]

Great experience. First time at the resort and we had an amazing time. [Details]

We first experienced this resort back in 2015. We've now been back in 2016, 2017 and 2019. We'd stayed at another resort in 2014.

From the moment you arrive, be it the smiling staff or the sounds of Cuban music drifting through the air, you know you've arrived in paradise.

The lobby of the Melia Las Dunas is quite impressive. Comfortable couches, a bank, store, wifi/computer room onto the lobby bar where you can sip cafe con leche or the famed, Varadero Sunrise.

The lobby bar is the spot every night after dinner with music, dancing, flaming coffee and theatre shows right beside it. There is no lack of opportunity to let yourself be immersed in the Cuban culture.

The moat area with cabana-like structures where you can be slightly away from things but still enjoy yourself. It's a beautiful area.

The main square is where everything either spills out into or comes from. Professional dancers, Cuban bands and the best is Cuban Day. Mojito Bar, pulled pork sandwiches and an old car to take photos with.

The A-la-cartes are the best way to eat for the highest quality food, however, please remember, this is Cuba; it's like home cooked meals or backyard BBQ's. We never go hungry though. Always have been satisfied.

The buffet, this is where you can get cooked meats, seafood, etc. Here, this is where we met our best Cuban friend this far, Sandy. He is a definite 5* waitor who is famed because of it.

The rooms, depending on classic or premium are truly all the same. However, after a couple times, we discovered the "suite". All this is, are two adjoining rooms with the door open. One side has a California King and the other two doubles. It's nice to have with a family! We've always been upgraded to it ever since.

The pools, both the adult side and family side have their respective pros and cons. The adult side is much quieter for those that enjoy that where the family pool is lovely, entertaining and always has some sort of event going on.

The swim up bars are great and typically staffed with high energy people. We've never had issues getting a drink there.

The beach.... Oh the beach! This, along with the local people, are why you come to Cuba! It's absolutely paradise. Lots of activities like 20 minute Hobbie Cat rides to aqua aerobics in the ocean to volleyball and so much more.
Many cabanas to enjoy or just lay out on a chair or towel! The beach bars have everything you need as well.

Now we get to what is the absolute best about Melia Las Dunas... It's people! We have never had to deal with someone without a smile or not happy to meet and greet with us. We like to travel and respect folks and their cultures. Although we pay good money to be there, we recognize that we don't need to be "served" by lowly people. They are human and live the struggle everyday. We know this as we've spent many a day off the resort mingling with the locals in Caiberien, Remedios and Santa Clara.

Cubans are happy even though they live in a dictatorship styled government and they make miniscule amounts of money per month. That coupled with the fact that they don't have access to nearly a fraction of what we have, are why we respect them as equals when we are there.

The people we've met have truly become friends and family! Last week, we attended Sandy's baby's baptism in Santa Clara. Wow, what an experience!

To make a few and our apologies if we miss anyone, here are the folks we've come to love and keep in touch with:

Sandy from the buffet
Sandra assistant manager at front desk
Ramon the general manager (previously it was Laurant Label)
Yunsel in the buffet
Wilson in the buffet
Victor from room services (used to be buffet)
Kenia the housemaid from building 23
Tatiana (used to be at the pool bar)
Leidy from the kids club
Junior one of the yellow taxi drivers (use him every time)
Livan rep from Air Canada Vacations
Maidelys rep from Air Transat

There are so many great people and if you are kind to them (noni don't mean tipping), generously kind, attempt to speak a little Spanish, don't be rude, treat them how you'd want to be treated and between the people, culture and those beaches, you can't have a bad trip.

We absolutely love this place and consider it home away from home for going on 6 years now! Can't wait to go back!

Thank you for sharing your beautiful culture with us MLD! [Details]