Name: Melia Buenavista
Address: Cayo Santa MarÃa, Cayo Santa Maria, Cayo Santa Maria, Cayo Santa Maria, 52610, Cuba
Rating: 9.2

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Melia Buenavista

The Hotel was great but what made it even better is ANDERSON! He is the best!! Great teacher for salsa and bachata, and amazing friend and entertainer! You see that he loves to work there! I would come again to the hotel just for anderson and his great service! He is the best!!!!!

My husband and I spent a week at the Melia Buenavista last month and were thrilled to find it just as wonderful as our first two visits. 

Love it here and can’t wait to come back – what a gem!! 

The hotel is relatively small but with well-kept tropical gardens and extensive oceanfront spread over three beaches there’s lots of space to spread out and relax. Perfect for nature lovers. The vibe is very laid-back (not a party place), daily activities for guests who like a little more action. Snorkeling right off the middle beach and live Cuban music every evening are highlights for us. Fabulous!

Zero complaints and only kudos for this resort. As informed travelers will know, the country’s people are suffering tremendous economic hardships and crippling power outages. We wondered how this might affect our vacation and can honestly report that we felt no change whatsoever. There may be certain food items in short supply, for example, but the staff are pros at working with what they have. 

As so many have said, the staff are a key part of making this resort what it is – the people are amazing!

Our favourite way to start the day: cappuccinos from Anais at the lobby bar, then off to the main beach with Pedro for guidance and Andres for pina coladas. The list is long but a huge thank you to everyone for your warm hospitality and gracious attitude: butlers/Yanni, Daymi, Sergio, Roberto – pool bar/Lester, Jichael, Oro, Adrian, Luis-Angel – animacion/Marco, Navy – cleaning/Rosi, Rosie – breakfast/Alien, Banesa, Manuel, Yamisella, Christian, Joelay, Carlos, Lisle – pizza/Pedro, Piti, Ariel – dinner/Jani, Dalgi, Armando, Juan Carlos, Geovel – middle beach/Janet, Livan – gardening/Hector, Lasaro, Horacebel – lobby bar/Lady, Ernesto – sunset beach/Aldo – maid/(she was lovely) – front desk & lobby/Yanovski, Aniel, Reinol – management/Luis, Rosa.

And yes, cash tips (US or Canadian currency) and gifts of small essentials (medicines, toothpaste, personal items, etc) are very much appreciated as so many basic things are simply unavailable to Cubans.

Melia Buenavista is an adults-only resort that’s ideal for a quiet, relaxing holiday in a beautiful tropical location. As a well-travelled couple, we rate this Cuban boutique resort “excellent” – truly, a very special place – and are already looking forward to our next visit.

We are leaving tomorrow but wanted to say what a wonderful experience we had at the Melià Buena Vista! The personnel is welcoming and always there for you. Special mention to Anderson Cole and Navi for the aqua fitness and entertainment, but especially for the special attention received during an evening sunset!!! 🫶🏻 Very touching and most memorable moment ♥️♥️♥️ What a fabulous evening we had! Enrique on the beach is very attentive and always ready to take you snorkelling in the best places just in front of the resort. Yvan, David and all who work at the pool bar and grill always ensure you have everything you need to enjoy yourself and have a good time. Thank you also to André, Emily, José, Oro, Jésus, and the many others who work at the Lobby Bar and Restaurants for the attentive service and smiles! Lianny, our lovely maid, was very efficient in her work, everything was always clean and we had everything we needed. Thank you all for making our Cuban vacation so agreeable ♥️

After some research, as a solo female traveler I chose this resort I was looking for a place where I could feel comfortable, safe and get some serious R&R… and celebrate my birthday. This hotel exceeded my expectations.

I was a little worried I would be the only solo traveler and be surrounded by honeymooners and really be on my own. Turned out I was the only solo traveler at the resort during that time, the staff and other guests were incredibly friendly, I never felt not included. I had plenty "me" time to recuperate but also plenty of conversation and company.

My Butlers, Sergio and Lily were very helpful, attentive and discreet with anything I needed. Sergio even called ahead to inform the Catamaran crew of my birthday, to ensure they were aware and as such, made my day extra special. Thank you, Sergio.  

Lester, Yaikel and David - thank you for making my pool bar drinks and always ensuring my glass was replenished.
 
Leydi, Anais, Luis and Mike…. made the best morning cappuccino’s and awesome drinks in the evening. You all do an incredible job!

Dayron…. I had the pleasures of having daily chats with this young man. He is incredibly polite, informative and kind. His customer service skills are top notch, and speaks great English. I hope to see him on my next visit.

Livan…. such an amazing and caring soul.  He always went out of his way to take good care of me at the snorkel beach.  

Last but not least, I saved the best part of my vacation for last. Andrenxonc Coll and his team were the highlight of my vacation.
 
Andrenxonc’s remarkable skills lies in uniting guests, planning dance sessions, water volleyball and creating memorable gatherings at the sunset and evening performances.  Thanks to his abilities, I not only enjoyed these activities but also formed connections with fellow guests, fostering friendships that extend beyond my stay.  His talent goes beyond entertainment; it becomes a catalyst for building a sense of camaraderie among those sharing the resort experience.  His unique ability to bring people together adds an extra layer of joy and connection, making my time at the resort truly unforgettable.  

As a result I will definitely be back for a rematch with Team “ Catastrophic”

Thank you for the great memories.

This resort was just what we were looking for.   It was clean and quiet with the most beautiful beaches.   The staff however are the reason we are coming back.  They are kind attentive and just want to make your stay an amazing experience.   Andrexon would greet us each day with a smile and his energy was infectious.   He always started our day off right.  The pool and lobby bar staff were also eager to please and were very kind and polite.  We are definitely coming back.

We have visited MBV many times and it never disappoints. The main reason we keep coming back is because of the wonderful people that work at this resort and the incredible beaches!

Lily & Daymi - our butlers. Thank you so much for taking such great care of us. Thank you for making me feel so special on my birthday! 

Lester, Yaikel and David - thank you for making great drinks at the pool bar and always keeping our glasses full! They are always there if you need anything.

Navi & Andrenxon Coll thank you for keeping us entertained. We had the best time learning how to dance with Andrenxon, he is a wonderful teacher. Best animation team!!

Leydi, Anais, Luis and Mike at the lobby bar thank you for the great cappuccino’s in the morning and awesome drinks in the evening as we watch the entertainment. You all do an amazing job!

We love all 3 beaches at this resort. It was a little wavy in the middle beach this time but when it is calm that is the best beach for snorkelling. Sunset beach is very calm and we brought our inflatable kayak and enjoyed going out there for a paddle along the shore. 

Thank you to the amazing staff for making us feel so welcomed and making our trip to Cuba the absolute best! We always have a fantastic time at this resort and we can’t wait to come back again to see everyone! I highly recommend this resort to anyone looking for a relaxing vacation spot. Thanks for all the great memories.

This hotel is a beautiful, tropical paradise with great views overlooking the well-maintained beaches. The staff were very helpful, always smiling and eager to please the guests. Entertainment with Andrenxon Coll was a blast every day with many fun activities by the pool. Special thanks to Lily and Daymi our butlers who made our stay extra special. The food was excellent every day and the portion sizes were adequately filling. I would very much recommend staying at this wonderful hotel.

When I think about my stay at the Melia Buenavista, I think about how much fun it was to spend time by the beautiful main pool, enjoy strawberry slush, read a book or engage in the fitness activities. Specifically, I absolutely loved the salsa classes everyday at 4pm taught by Andrenxon Coll Rodriguez. He is such an upbeat, positive and professional personality.  I had so much fun learning how to salsa, cha cha, bachata and meringue. It was awesome to see the class size growing day by day as the week progressed. By the end of the week, everyone who was previously relaxing by the poolside was up and learning the salsa or trying out the aqua gym.  Additionally Andrenxon led the entertainment every night at the lobby bar. Again he was pulling guests to get up and dance, and really lifted the energy every night. I hope that he will be teaching salsa when I return because the classes are so fun and I truly learned so much. Thank you Andrenxon and Melia Buenavista for such a memorable stay. I will definitely be continuing my lessons back home in Canada.

This was by far beyond any expectation. We had the time of our lives. The hotel is insane as well as the beach. 
Everything was just perfect thanks to the GM, Mr. Moad who made our stay unforgettable. 
We will definitely be back again and will definitely recommend this place to our friends. 
A true jam! 

I can't find enough words to describe my amazing experience staying at this Resort. All I can say is that I was able to check off all the things that you always look for in an R&R stay. The room was spacious, well laid out, clean and quiet. The views and beaches were beautiful. The Cuban food was authentic and the drinks were great. The overall staff service and spa were top notch, and the resort was close enough that we were were able to participate in a couple of Gaviota Tours' excursions right from the lobby. All in all, it was an amazing and great quality experience from all the staff, but I want to make a special shoutout to the following people that made it even more personal and special: The GM Moad ,our housekeeper Lianny who always kept our room clean and tidy, always adding a nice decorative touch. Our butlers Ramon and Joan that helped us organize our days and activities. The bar team, especially Luis, Lester, Giovanni, and Vanessa keeping our thirst at bay. Our cook Yabiel who brought us food all the way out to the beach. Omar, the gardener who took his time to fetch us a couple of coconuts. And Ernesto who tried to teach me and my girlfriend a few salsa moves at the clubhouse by the pool.
I would 100% recommend this resort and the staff for providing a good place to rest and recover from all the crazy going around in the world right now.

Cayo Santa Maria

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We echo all of  the superlative reviews of this little gem of a resort and highly recommend it. The amability and professionalism of the staff is second to none. Exemplary cleaniness of the rooms, attention given to the gardens and all the facilities is remarquable. Despite the embargo the chef and the restaurant staff go beyond the call of duty to offer variety and quality. Yet as a profesionnal sommelier I would offer that the selection of wines is poor. The bars are very well stocked with liquors rum etc, but It is beyond me why a Melia spanish owned hotel cannot provide for good quality spanish or Chilean wines such as those found in the other Melia resorts in the Cayos. A correct suite entry level white, rosé, red and sparkling should be part of the ''all inclusive'' plus a selection of more potent wines available for purchase would honor all the efforts made by the kitchen staff and earn this place my full five stars. A note for the canadian visitors: do not bring Looneys and Tooneys to offer as tips. The staff cannot trade it for dollars. We came back with 5 kilos of schrapnell last time as we had enough dollars to ''buy back'' the metal. Bring ''over the counter'' medecine, school material, gardeners gloves etc. You have no idea how those little things are appreciated.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED AND NEARLY FIVE STARS

A very special place – excellent Cuban boutique resort

Devoted and attentive personnel!

I will return....

Quiet Gem with amazing staff

The best staff and amazing beaches!

A tropical paradise

UNFORGETTABLE

Fun in the Sun!

We have given a score of 4 on this resort. All my other reviews have been a 5. There is a need for improvement and maybe it will come sooner than later. Since this was our 5th  time visiting the resort we have developed a great affection for the place. 
         Beyond the shortcomings that many first timers may experience, they may feel 4 is generous. 
         What a week weather wise all sun, a few windy days . The Transat flight was on time. Our private transport waiting for us when we arrived. 
          Not much has changed since our last visit , we are older and the resort is older. The new accommodations built on the quiet beach and the bay are fully operational. Although I did not see them occupied during our stay. The gate to the complex was always closed. Maybe some of this new investment could of been ploughed back into the resort. It needs it . 
          We received the room we asked for , check in was OK , the welcome drink was a little rough. Our butler showed us to the room. 
          Many of the butlers remembered us from our previous visits. Some interesting conversations about Covid and the effect on Cuba and the resorts. 
          Our room , everything functioned . we never adjusted the AC during our whole stay. The bar fridge was the coldest one we have ever had on a vacation . however only had soft drinks and water in it. The sliding door , was rough , it worked but it would not lock without knowing the trick. We never locked it the complete stay , we were on the second floor with a spectacular view of the middle beach and ocean . The room certainly needs some updating , but the bed for sleeping was great , nice and hard. The outdoor shower which is a real benefit for the property functioned well . The door to the shower needs some upgrading (replacement).
        Want to get a nice spot on the beach at noon , come here , there was always spots available. The beaches are awesome , snorkeling was great on the middle and the east beach. They have drink service on the beach , which was great. We tip so we always had regular check up service . We spent most days on the middle beach. The two pools are good , the quiet pool , bring a floaty and relax. The main pool was not to busy and acquiring a chaise was easy . What's with the wooden chaise they have now , at the pools , some had cushions most didn't. Bring water shoes for snorkeling , and your own gear 
         The main pool had beds the last time we were there. They are gone now , Why not replace or upgrade them,  they are just gone now . These are some of the challenges the resort has on delivering the kind of service they should be .
         The food well there was always something to eat. Some items were not available , bacon at breakfast. I had some lobster pasta dishes that were good . I ordered chicken one night for dinner it was good. I did have the soup of the day for every meal. The pizza oven is open now much longer than it was on previous trips. This was good , if you were hungry for a pizza you can get one any time. FYI  if you like some spice on your food , pack some of your own , the food is pretty bland. We did not attend the other resorts for the any of the a la cartes. We found the bus schedule to be not to our liking. Our first evening the restaurant service in Los Caribes was very poor , however we were advised they were short staffed. The services the rest of the week were very good in all the restaurants
           The best part of this resort is it's small , great beaches , has some unique features. quiet.
            You want a spot on the patio in the evening it wasn't to difficult to find one. cappuccinos are top notch. Beer available was from Spain not the usual Cristal.
           They have a lack of good liqueurs now , asked for Frangelico one night , it was not available .
            I did ask for a bottle of red wine and beer brought to the room and it was delivered by the butler . It was not a bad bottle of red. 
       Why this resort ? .The biggest reason is the people , new and old who work there. The number of staff who remembered us from previous visits was astounding. Always a greeting , Hola and some small talk. 
       They treat you well under some of the shortcomings they know are present on the resort. Although I have names of some of them , they all deserve a shout out. We never went without . sure there was a couple of poor service times , but we have gotten them at every resort we have visited. Well done Buenavista. 
         We thoroughly enjoyed our week at this resort again. Yes some improvements in the grounds, food and rooms are in need. But enjoyment was had by the both of us. 
         We will return again in the future , I hope not a five year hiatus

Melia Buenavista

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