Memories - Grand Memories Santa Maria
Cayo Santa Maria, CubaAll travelers
Our take
Sprawling beachfront all‑inclusive resort with family and adults‑only sections on Cayo Santa Maria.
Resort facts & overview
- Location
- Cayo Santa Maria, Cuba
- Audience
- All travelers
- Brand
- Independent
- Dining listed
- -
Why travelers love it
“Sprawling beachfront all‑inclusive resort with family and adults‑only sections on Cayo Santa Maria.”
Guests consistently praise the stunning white‑sand beach, helpful and friendly staff, and variety of facilities for both families and adults.
Food & drink
MixedFood is decent for Cuba's current shortages: varied buffet plus à la carte options and a pizza stand, but variety has slipped and the buffet runs cold on off days.
high confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Flavorful Cuban dishes
- Pizza stand a hit
- À la carte often better than buffet
- Lobster dinner under the stars
Heads up
- Buffet variety down from prior years
- Cold food reported at buffet
- Occasional shortages tied to Cuban economy
Dining details coming soon.
Food & drink photos
Food & drink photos
Photo: Tripadvisor
Beach
StandoutThe beach is the headline: clean, spacious white sand with crystal-clear calm water, widely called the best in Cuba.
high confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Soft white sand
- Crystal-clear calm water
- Well-maintained and clean
- Beach activities and animation
Heads up
- Bring your own beach towels
White‑sand beach with calm clear waters, shallow entry makes wading easy; well maintained with lounge chairs and palapas.
Pools
MixedLarge pools are a pleasant secondary attraction, but maintenance is slipping with loose tiles and railing issues reported.
medium confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Huge pools
- Friendly pool bartenders
- Easy to find a lounger
Heads up
- Loose mosaic tiles at bottom
- Handrails in disrepair
Detailed pool reporting coming soon.
What’s included
MixedPriced right for what you get: warm service and a stellar beach at a low Cuba price point, but only if you accept dated rooms and Cuban supply realities.
high confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Low price for a top-tier Caribbean beach
- Premium wristband adds meaningful perks
- Repeat guests returning for staff relationships
Heads up
- Rooms overdue for renovation
- Similar money buys more elsewhere in the Caribbean
- Half the property reportedly closed off
Package inclusions and upgrade access have not been collected yet. Confirm them for your room and dates when booking.
Amenities & activities
Couples
StretchCouples who set expectations for Cuba can find romance in the beach and Premium perks, but tired rooms and inconsistent service pull the mood down.
medium confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Ocean-view upgrades possible
- Lobster dinner under the stars
- Premium butlers handle reservations
- Beautiful, calm beach for walks
Heads up
- Room condition issues (broken locks, damaged doors)
- Reports of unwanted attention toward women
- Property showing its 30-year age
Families
Good fitFamilies with realistic expectations do well here: calm swim-friendly beach, a kids club that beats the heat, and warm staff who treat guests like family.
medium confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Calm shallow water good for little swimmers
- Kids club available
- Family-friendly animation team
- Spacious rooms fit three or more
Heads up
- Bugs and roaches reported in some rooms
- Room reallocation hassles at check-in
Peace & Quiet
StandoutRemote Cayo Santa Maria location delivers genuine tranquility, with a peaceful natural setting and low crowds (partly because sections of the resort are closed).
high confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Remote, disconnected feel
- Peaceful natural surroundings
- Low guest counts on the beach
- Ideal for relaxation seekers
Resort includes kids clubs, fitness centre, spa Renacer nearby, tennis courts, land and non‑motorized water sports, nightly shows, shopping, tour desk, rentals.
What guests say
Medium confidence23 reviews · through Oct 2026
Read all reviews on TripAdvisor ↗Google ↗
Guests praise the beach and location, recommend the resort for beach lovers, quiet relaxation, and families, but complain about cleanliness, value for money, and the pool.
Consistently praised
Recurring complaints
Best suited for
What past guests say
“Here's a quick overview of the all-inclusive experience. First, the service at the restaurants without reservations was terrible (most simply refused to serve us even though they were open 24/7). Second, my friend was nearly assaulted by dancers who work at the all-inclusive resort, and when we asked the reception staff to call the police and check the security cameras, they simply refused. Furthermore, the buffet was dirty and disgusting, and the food, if it wasn't cooked in front of you,...”
★☆☆☆☆
“TRAVEL ADVISORY – WARNING TO CANADIANS: DO NOT STAY AT GRAND MEMORIES SANTA MARIA My family and I travelled to Grand Memories Santa Maria from August 22–29, based on TripAdvisor reviews claiming this is a 4.5-star resort. I can confidently say this property does not even meet 1-star standards. This was the worst travel experience we have ever had. The bus transfer from the airport was nearly two hours, which honestly ended up being the best part of the trip. Upon arrival, we were given Premium b”
★☆☆☆☆
“Lower your expectations. Always remember how you paid for this trip. If you come here for less than $800 per person with all inclusive package including the air fares, it will be 5 star experience for you. Don't expect $2500 per person per week 5 star Mexico experience, if you do, you will be miserable here. I have talked and conversed with many guests during my stay, February 6 to 13th 2026, Cuba was experiencing shortages from fuel and everyone who paid less than $1000 weren't really in...”
★★★★☆
“Long story short. Resort is falling apart. Another couple and myself got drugged. Nurse was suppose to show up within 10 min and no show. We had to change rooms twice before we wanted a 3rd room in a completely different building. Guest services don't want to help or even look you in your eyes when talking. Women are getting sexually targeted. Pool mosssong tiles, hand railings falling apart. Rooms have roaches and bed bugs. We have arrived there January 10th 2026 and wanted to leave by the 12th”
★☆☆☆☆
“I cannot say enough great things about this place. The beach was stunning, the food was damn delicious (I ate the Cuban stuff which was full of flavour) Service was warmly hospitable throughout the resort and we made friends with our housekeeper who was such a kind and wonderful lady. We tried the pizza stand as well and it was also very tasty. We lacked nothing here and would definitely return 😊”
★★★★★
Latest reviews from Tripadvisor
Loaded live from Tripadvisor when you ask — the newest reviews and the current rating.
Read all reviews on Google (1,158) ↗
Videos
GRAND MEMORIES SANTA MARIA CUBA, REVIEW and WALK-THROUGH (Cayo Santa Maria)
Sanctuary At Grand Memories Santa Maria Cuba Review: Luxury Adults-Only Hotel Tour
Grand Memories Santa Maria, Cuba: Ultimate Walking Tour | Beach, Pools & More!
Ask Rosie
Have a specific question about Memories - Grand Memories Santa Maria?
Rosie answers from this resort’s guest reviews and our research — with quotes.
Know before you book
- Room maintenance issues reported — door locks, balcony access
- Queueing delays at buffet peak times
- Some rooms outdated
- Bring your own beach towels
What you should know
What to Know
This is Cuba first, resort second: expect a long transfer, aging infrastructure, and periodic shortages, offset by exceptional staff who go out of their way to make it work.
high confidence
What you'll enjoy
- Ask for Premium bracelets for better service
- Concierge (Dimitri, Hermes) handles dining reservations
- Marketplace bars are a highlight
- Book à la carte over buffet
Heads up
- Airport transfer runs 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours
- Bring your own beach towels
- Room reassignments common at check-in
- Sections of the property closed; expect a dated feel
Diamond Club VIP available; Wi‑Fi is paid not free; expect basic room condition—some reviews cite maintenance issues like doors and locks; bring USD or CAD bills for tips.
All photos
Photo: Tripadvisor
Photo: Tripadvisor
Photo: Tripadvisor
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What we know
Everything below comes from data we collected: here's the inventory for this resort.Updated June 2026- Photos
- 5
- Review excerpts
- 20
- Dining venues
- Not yet collected
- Menus
- Not yet collected
- Room categories
- Not yet collected
- Videos
- 3
- Editorial lenses
- 8
We aggregate. We don't trap. Verify on any of these:
Where this data comes from
We tell you what we know, and what we don't.
- Last updated
- June 16, 2026
- Sources
- Google PlacesDirect resort media
- Completeness
- 50%
Source collection snapshot
These collection totals can differ from the items available on this page. Video totals include screened results; the inventory above counts published tours.
- 5 photos
- 19 videos
Still verifying dining, menus, rooms. If something looks thin, ask Rosie or ask our booking team and they can usually fill in the gaps.