Sol Cayo Santa Maria, Santa MARíA

Spent two weeks there returned a few days ago. Dishes very dirty, bed sheets changed twice in two weeks. Glasses in room never changed. Ran out of toilet paper. Water was shut off nightly at midnight till six am and from one pm till four and sometimes five pm daily, almost the entire two weeks. The food bland. The turkey was sliced and was raw and covered with gravy and served to the public. Water was put in bottled water from the tap to fool the public. Mosquitos are so bad that you can spray and I ended up with having to have injections of antihistamine predisone and cortisone. Dirty linen and dirty dishes. Not a safe place to stay.

Hi, I am from a small town in Cuba, Caibarien. Just got back from Melia Cayo Santa Maria. In order to get to this resort, you take an hour and a half bus ride from the airport and go onto this island (Santa Maria) via a 48km causeway with only two resorts on it: Melia and Sol. The great part about the long bus ride is that you get all the check-in out of the way, and go straight to your room. You get the best of both worlds, as you can go over to the other resort (Sol) and drink and watch their entertainment, which I myself found better, as they did more comedy. Where as the Melia was more of a Vegas-type show. The beach was incredible, 8 miles long, which we walked the full length every other day. Truly paradise to us, white sands blue green water and miles and miles of privacy (wink, wink). In fact the beach water was warmer then the pool water. The beach was definitely the highlight of our trip, we could not get enough of it. Bicycles are free to ride around the two resorts, and enjoyed the scooters also for $9.00 an hour or $24.00 for 24 hours. Rented a Jeep for 3 hours and went into town around 30 minute drive each way, that cost us $42.00 total. Rooms were clean and very nice size. The restaurants were great. The bars were fun, the staff is great. Make sure you bring big thermos, as the cups are small. Cheers! To all my people from Caibarien, I love you all and miss you very much!! If I had to summarize what I am, I’d say I’m a memoirist who suffers from homesickness after leaving Cuba. That must be why I’m obsessed with remembering and all the ways that history leaves traces on how we live in the present. Love Hurisita

the service is great, and the people too, the hotel is beautiful, and the buffet is better than the buffet of melia, but you must offer more help to the staff that work with the costumer, they need more things to work and better conditions, by the way did you fix the beer dispenser of the disco, I told you this because I don't know how many times I talk with you about this problem and you have done nothing. don't worry i was the bartender I know about what I'm talking. congratulation you have a beautiful hotel, I dream to return someday there, I love the place, is the best of his kind in villa clara

I went to sol cayo last year in early December. I went with my boyfriend. I really enjoyed the hospitality we were shown. There was one paticular woman we became very fond of. She was so nice and Polite, she always wore a blue vest with a blue bow tie. She has dark brown hair and alwyas worked at the pool bar. I would love to go back even just to visit her again! I also enjoyed Carlos's Sandwiches from the pool bar! I cannot stress enough how nice and kind the staff were! Tracey Valyear

Well i have to say that i thought it was definetly not upto 4* standard....... Don't get me wrong the hioliday was itself fantastic, the beaches we're wonderful and yes we had the visitors in the sea 2, but what was off putting is the fact that when they run out of beer in the bars on an eve they fill up empty coke bottles up with beer & not to mention they bottle up the dreggs 2 (apparently which they take home to drink... YUK!) Plus the fact that they clean the toastie machine with the dreggy beer (nice hey?) No wonder so many of us had the so called bug!. With ref to food I advise you to get there early as it seems locals can just walk in & out with platefulls of food (cooked or uncooked) Not ideal for those who like a nibble after a few beers cos all that's to eat is left over cakes from rest or cheese & ham sarnies (hard). Not overall really good 4 vegetarians as they seem to mix meet in with the veggies 2

This is one of the best hotels I have been to.It even beats the melia santa maria next door, which is a five star.The people are lovely,They can't do enough for you. The pina colada's are a must, but watch it the rum gets stronger as the night goes on, and they do tend to act like a laxative the next day.The beach is lovely, and the sea is green and crystal clear,and take your snorkel gear bacause theres nearby reefs in the shallows. We did see for a couple of days in the sea jelly fish, and a couple of times we had to get out of the sea, as they do occasionally get the most verocious bull shark swimming in the shallows.But don't let this put you off,because its beautifull.Also as you go towards the beach,to your left side is the naturist side (total nude). So go right if this dosn't appeal to you. The complex itself is amoung tropical gardens, ponds,wildlife.(birds, butterflys,frogs,crabs,the odd cockroach,cats,lizards).Only one negative thing,your need very very strong insect repellent, bite cream. They do have sandflys,mossys, and tiny ants,and everyone was getting bitten,and the bites are itchy and can become swollen.They seem to be amune to the normal extra strength stuff you get.In the end people were spraying impulse or aloe vera on themselfs which seem to work. The food was very good, but did seem to be the same old thing.The entertainment was good.The rep is very nice.The weather was pretty good, with the odd rainstorm,which I found a laugh as the place can get quite flooded in places, but the open bars still carry on serving,and they do supply umbrellas in your rooms.The catamaran trip is a must,with lobster lunch included, and swimming with the dolphins was an experience,although a 3hr journey by bus was abit much.In general I had a brill holiday,made loads of friends,it was just ashame I had to come back.If you've got any old clothes,smellys etc,donations are welcome there.