Sanctuary At Grand Memories Holguin

Stayed in the Sanctuary adults only section at this resort. Requested for the top floor (5th floor). Using the stairs as part of the daily exercise instead of using elevator.
The hotel was fairly new and clean.
The staffs were very pleasant and nice particularly one of my butler, Ramon Avila.
It was such a pleasure to have him helping me to arrange Ala Cate for my two weeks stay. He had arranged exactly what I'd requested. He was such a warm, pleasant, well spoken person. He had always asked me if I'm satisfied or anything that I needed.
Ramon was what made this trip more worthwhile for staying at this resort. Very lucky to have Ramon as our Butler and so nice to have met him.
Cheers, [Details]

The hotel itself was very clean and well kept, however the service is very poor [Details]

I had a great week Thank you [Details]

Here we are, at last, submitting the easiest review we've ever written, after weeks of raving to family and friends back home in Atlantic Canada about our wonderful 2-week holiday at the Sanctuary Grand Memories Holguin, Cuba. Of our 17 Caribbean holiday resort experiences since the mid 1990's, this one topped them all!
From our early morning arrival on March 4th, we quickly fell in love with the staff. Warm, friendly smiles and the deeply personal touches shared by the management and staff, made us feel very, very special from Day 1.
We quickly discovered an immaculately clean, modern ocean-view room in a stunning 3-year old property on one of the world's best natural bays on the northeast coast of Cuba. A beautiful sandy beach where local bands perform, specialty coffees in the lobby bar that are second-to-none, and fine evening dining with delicious food, beautifully presented, and multi-talented visiting dance bands, are all at the heart of our special Sanctuary memories of March ‘24.
We have already made plans for another winter getaway to the same Sanctuary next February. For us, it will be returning to Family - Basilio, Lourdes, Gabriel, Melissa, Maggie, Ramon, along with Yania, Oskar, Natalia, Michel, and their colleagues in the BarbaNegra lunch and dinner Restaurants near the beach, and three a-la-cartes off the main lobby, who all enabled us to experience unparalleled, five star hospitality and service!
Basilio and Cathy Favaro, Prince Edward Island [Details]

Sanctuary at Grand Memories Holguin was absolutely incredible from the time we arrived until we sadly had to leave.

The resort, the atmosphere, the staff.. we cannot possibly have been happier or say enough great things about it. We have been to other resorts in other counties with much higher price tags, that do not even come close to what we experienced at Sanctuary.

Our butler Roman was so friendly and helpful, he couldn't do enough for us. Such a fantastic service that's provided to Sanctuary guests.

Cuba is going through some very hard times right now, and we were fully aware and prepared for that going in to this trip, but you would not even know at this resort of the shortages they are experiencing. We did not go without!

The food was great- always something delicious to eat. Sanctuary has separate breakfast and lunch buffets, along with the memories ones you can go to. Sanctuary guests can book a la Cartes for every night of your stay. They were top quality restaurants!

The pools are incredible. With so many pools people are spread out which makes the non bar ones very relaxing.
There are many chairs at all- and you don't have to be up with the sun to save your pool chair- this was so fabulous!

The beach is beautiful. A separate Sanctuary area there also. So many spots and chairs available- the men who bring you your chairs and table are wonderful!

I attended the spa twice- for hair braiding and a couples massage. The services were great both times. The massages were 10/10!

The staff were second to none. So friendly, they make such great effort to get to know you- it feels so personal, you do not feel like just another number at the resort. They go above and beyond in everything they do.

My husband and I truly had our best, and couples vacation at Sanctuary.
We can't wait to go back! [Details]

Magnifique
Vraiment magnifique comme endroit.
Le personnel est très gentil, Thaimi et Lilian serveuse au buffets sont super gentille. Sandra, la dame aux crêpes chante et démontre sa joie est fabuleuse. Il y avait plusieurs autres dont je ne rappelle pas tous les noms.
La chambre était superbe avec une belle grande douche.
La plage est superbe aussi, c'est Cuba. J'ai beaucoup aimé les piscines, elles sont magnifiques avec bars dans la piscine. Rien de négatif à dire, j'y retournerais les yeux fermés !
Super beau voyage. [Details]

Very clean and well maintained facility. Stayed at the Sanctuary Grand Memories Oceanview Junior Suite. Resort met the criteria for a 4 Star Resort. Rooms were clean, Service was great, had Butler Service that was attentively good. Internet was spotty on the beach and in room, good in the main areas. Staff was very nice and polite and tried to accommodate what they could. Could have enforced the Adult 18 only area rules a little better. Food was good for Cuba. No waste, enough variety at the the Buffet, ala cartes were good as well. Bars had limited varieties, mostly Cuban products available. Pools in each section were clean, safe with lifeguards, plenty of chairs even with the "reservists" getting out there early to claim "their" spots. Beach/Pool Towel service could be better, found the availability and hours of exchange very limited. Beach was clean, windy in the afternoons, may be a seasonal thing for March, plenty of chairs that they setup for you on request, lots of shade umbrellas and trees, beach bar was handy with occasional beach service on a couple days. Could have had a beach lunch/snack area to make it great. Entertainment was fair, roaming bands around pools and buffet at times. Main Lobby entertainment was good. Was not to keen on the 24 hour snack bars, did not see any food or menu for ordering any food, not sure on that process. Speciality coffees and drinks were good. Just to note, a 2 hour bus ride from the airport, Service Agent was informative and spoke very well. They stopped for a washroom break when requested. [Details]

Very clean, fresh resort. Eager, attentive staff. No complaints at all. Pools were sparkling clean and enough space for all - same with beach. Wifi was slow. Difficult to get reservations at restaurants - always full. Resort is a long bus ride from airport and for any excursions. Very limited for souvenir shopping. Dance/entertainment team A [Details]

Resort was well laid out, the staff do everything they can with what they have to offer, due to the ongoing shortages other countries will be explored next year. [Details]

The staff at this resort were very friendly, and tried to ensure your stay was the best it could be. The supply chain issues are evident with expected staples like eggs often unavailable (none for first 8 days of our stay), and it's very hit and miss for mix, wine, and alcohol other than rum being available. There was one day when the water wasn't working which caused us some unexpected issues. [Details]

December 26, 2023 until January 10, 2024

Overall we had a wonderful stay at the Sanctuary at Grand Memories Holguin hotel.

Beach: It is nice and long enough to walk for approximately 45 minutes depending on your pace. There's a few more rocks when you enter the ocean compare to the Cayo Coco beaches. Algae was being picked up early in the morning. Employees work really hard at cleaning the beach in front of the hotel. You can reserve the pedal boat and catamaran by the hour at the boat house. There's plenty of great areas to go snorkelling and fishing if you bring your gear.

Wellness: Gym was extraordinary with top of the line machines; they have two treadmills, two ellipticals, two bikes, two stair master, plenty of workout equipment and free weights. They are all functional and well maintained. The employees are extremely attentive, Alex or Raul, usually provide you with a towel, they assure that there's water available to refill your reusable container and they can explain how everything works. There's a tv that usually display sports and another one that plays music with videos. There's good functional A/C in the gym but the internet didn't work for me. Alex and Raul also offer yoga sessions at 10 o'clock every morning on the beach in the gazebo on the sanctuary side. There's a variety of massage options at the spa. We had a chance to participate at the full moon meditation ceremony at 7 o'clock at night on the beach. They now offer a new moon ceremony that is also being offered. There's a few tennis courts and basketball nets.

Entertainment: The crew is extremely devoted, there was activities happening everywhere on a daily basis. During the day, they organize Zumba lessons and volleyball games on the beach. Dance lessons and water polo games were happening at the pool. There's an Orange Party on Thursdays in the main pool and more events in the lobby at night. The New Year's Eve Party was well organized with champagne, music and dancing shows. At night, the shows were rarely performed in the auditorium, they were mostly happening in the main lobby. They have clowns, music and dancing for the kids there too. There's some Cuban singers, they play really good local music in the A La Carte restaurants and at the buffet. There's a Beach Party on Thursday night and they have a Cuban day on Friday, where they roast a pig, play local music and offer great drinks.

Internet: Overall the internet was great for Cuban standards. We had access from our room, some areas at the main pool, the beach and the lobby. The network was down for three days during our stay, furthermore I got disconnected a few times and I needed help from the front desk receptionist to reset my account and to issue a new password.

Room: Our room was very spacious, functional and clean. The Air Conditioning didn't work at first, someone came to fix it and it worked well for the rest of our stay. The safe and small refrigerator worked were working well we had no issues. We didn't have any pop or beer in the fridge. We had a coffee machine that we didn't use because we didn't have any coffee beans in the room, this said the coffee on the resort was excellent!

Drinkable water: We had one 1.5 litres and two 5 littles bottles of water during our two weeks stay. We asked servers at the buffet to refill them. I highly recommend everyone to bring any type of reusable thermos for drinks since plastic cups are limited.

Buffet: All the workers are very devoted to help you get anything you need. Sandra, Christopher, Leodenis and Moreira are rays of sunshine. They had plenty of plates, utensils, napkins and beverages (Fanta, tea, coffee, wine, beer). They had soya sauce and small packages of margarine but they were no condiments, therefore feel free to bring your own ketchup, relish, mustard, mayonnaise, hot sauce, peanut butter, jam, Nutella, just to name a few. Be prepared to wait in line at the grilling stations for your eggs/omelettes, chicken, fish and pasta.

Food: The variety, quality and quantity were limited. They offered plenty of carbs (pasta, rice, potatoes, crêpes and bread). We had eggs, chicken, fish, cheese and a few bananas, apples, guava, pineapple slices. Everything was depending on the shipment arriving by boat. The À La Carte Haiku (Japanese) restaurant, was delicious. Be ready to line up at 6 o'clock in the morning to make reservations if you are on the Memories side, the employee usually shows up around 8:30 to take your reservation. Some people would sleep on the couch beside the Lobby Bar as of 5 o'clock beside the reservation desk is located in order to be the first one in line. There's an Italian and Cuban À La Carte restaurant.

Bars: All the bars on site were amazing for different reasons. Beach bar: Arianna, Kenya and Andrero are always happy to serve you and they make the best Pina Colada's. The 24 hour bar: You can also order food and there's a small buffet at lunch time. Most importantly, Tania, Wilfredo and Milena are amazing, they make awesome coffees and ice cappuccino's. The pool bar: they have everything under the sun and deliver it with a smile. I would recommend having more employees and dishes is the Main Lobby bar.

Stores: There's a few stores, restaurants, trampoline place for kids and bowling alley about 5-10 minutes walk outside of the resort. You can take a golf cart to get there too. The store at the hotel is small and has a little variety. We couldn't find any cigars on site.

Departure: Check-out was seamless, we had a late departure and had to leave our room at 11 a.m. You have the option to pay by the hour for a late check-out. They have shower's available in the main lobby if you want to freshen up before going home. Our plane was late, we were offered to have supper at the buffet. Williams from the Sanctuary side was extremely helpful and resourceful, he offered great support and guidance during an unforeseen situation.

I would like to emphasize how employees at this hotel work really hard to assure that everyone's vacation remains a great memory to the point where they almost feel like family by the end of your stay. [Details]

Hotel is beautiful and modern design, professional service, beautiful clean beach.
Room very clean, no problem with toilet paper, and planty of bottle water.
The only huge despoilment is food. We are prepared that will be bad, but never imagine that my be that bad. I was on bread ( very bad quality) and butter for a few days. A la carte restaurants were a joke. Only Japanese restaurant was OK. I was able to eat a little rice with chicken.
Nothing to mix with drinks, only artificial "juice" made from powder.
There was tonic water for last few days so we can mix with rum.. [Details]

We just got back from a week at this resort. Although Cuba is suffering from alot of shortages in food and beverages we always found enough to eat. There is lots of rice, pasta, fish and pork. The staff are mostly very good, although English is not great they can usually understand or get someone who does. Yullan and his wife at the pool bar were amazing and really appreciated everything we gave them. At the Sanctuary Restaurant we found Nathali, Yoania and Armando very friendly and helpful. Sandra at the buffet grill is a real gem. She is always so happy and singing. I first met her at Memories Holguin many years ago. We never got to meet our maid, but room was always cleaned. Unfortunately, our air conditioner did not work even after having someone in to fix it, but we made due. Overall we had an amazing week at this hotel. We understand that Cuba as a whole is suffering right now and feel badly for the employees that have to apologize for the shortages as we know it is not their fault. [Details]

I went to this resort in holguin thinking I would be relaxing and enjoy the time there but it was nightmare .First of all the reception her name Marie is the worst one she was very rude .we arrived at the hotel around 2 pm and it was chaotic people were not told where to go because they have 2 different sections. So people were confused going to wrong places. Marie gave me a room which was stinking and I had to go back to the reception to ask for another room.And she told me im so tired I had a long day . Dont you think about me I traveled almost 7 hrs to get there. So I had to stick with that room no change .another dissapointing think on food no veggies at all no tomatoes no cucumber or any kind of salad.You will survive will pasta and rice all week. And im telling u the truth if you want to go there its your choice but I will never ever go back. The beach ⛱ very rocky and lots of weeds. The resort it self its very isolated if you want to go to the city they will call a cab for you for 200$ us [Details]

Tell you the truth I was very disappointed [Details]

Kids are everywhere even at the bar at midnight. One was breastfeeding and other kids were actually sleeping on the table [Details]

To be honest, the food was really bad, there were no vegetables, not even tomatoes
There was no entertainment, and there is no type of vehicle to go to the city, a taxi was 200 dollars, and you had to coordinate with the reservation, which was a kind of robbery.
I feel sorry for the travel companies that introduce this awful hotel
You must pay the bar staff to give you a drink, otherwise you have to wait until they give you the lowest quality drink
In general, it was the worst vacation I have ever had
The rooms had a bad smell of moisture, the air conditioner was not working properly
Please do not go to this hotel [Details]

Honestly we are so impressed with this resort! It was above our expectations in every way. The food is great, the drinks are wonderful, the beach is awesome and the service is amazing. We stayed for two weeks and I cannot say enough about this staff. Right from check in with Mairelis who is an absolute angel to the staff in the Sanctuary restaurant including Yandy, Yoania and Nathali. The Sanctuary bartender Jose Luis always has a huge smile and remembers your drink of choice right from day one. Armando at the pool and Lilly at the beach were always happy to serve. Now on to the manager Jorge. We have stayed at many many resorts in Cuba and all over the Caribbean and never have I ever seen a manager that is as present as this guy is. He is always visible and interacting with the guests and is literally all over the resort. We met him on the beach, in the lobby, in the restaurants and in the bars. He does not hide in an office somewhere, he is always up front in the action and very approachable. Jorge seriously was a huge part of our vacation always providing a smile and a laugh. We will return to Memories Sanctuary because we really do not have one complaint and I feel it is comparable to Royalton in every way but more than that we have formed friendships that will last a life time with the staff and of course the man, the legend Jorge lol [Details]

I had an amazing relaxing experience at Sanctuary at Grand Memories Holguin. The resort is beautiful, clean and the staff were friendly and inviting. I felt like I was in paradise. I loved the large rooms, the pools, the restaurants, the beach and ocean. It was awesome to be surrounded by schools of fish in the ocean. I especially enjoyed my massage on the beach by Jorge. Special shout outs to Arianna and Nathali in the Sanctuary restaurant. Thank you to all staff! [Details]

Very clean ,friendly staff , food was good, beautiful beach, only downfall was the drive from airport too long for me, but if it had been daylight there would of been lots to look at so all in all great place if you want a relaxing,quiet vacation . [Details]

The hotel is new so everything is very clean. Room was very spacious with a nice balcony. The beach was just what you dream of when going on vacation. They had lots of lounges and shade. 2 big pools as well in this adult only section as well as several other in family part. We will definitely be back. [Details]

From checking in to checking out, the staff at sunctuary have been nothing but extraordinary!! Me and my finance were missing for nothing.
George who runs the sunctuary at grand memories is an exceptional person!! Very professional, Kind, accommodating goes above and beyond to make sure all his guests are treated with highest level of customer service....Arsenio who manages the food/ beverages section is an amazing host.....always checking on his guests and always smiling [Details]