Sanctuary at Grand Memories Cayo Largo — Hotel in Isle of Youth

My wife and I have travelled often to Cuba and this was our first experience at Sanctuary at Cayo Largo.

Let me begin by saying that the pictures that depict the rooms do not portray the reality of the grandeur. We truly were impressed with everything that was at our touch. Double shower with great hot water pressure at all times! Wow!!! Lots of room to move inside and believe it or not, a very adequate a/c that made it so that we were never freezing or overwhelmed by the Cuban heat.

As I've said in the beginning, I've always had great service from all resorts I've had the pleasure to use. However, the service in this resort was over and beyond. They did things for us that we never expected. For example: they notice that it was my wife's birthday and by the evening of her birthday, we had a knock at our door and to my wife's surprise, stood five employees from the resort with a custom made desert for her and they sang her "Happy Birthday". This might seem minute to some, but to her, it meant a lot and it made her smile and appreciated. And if this make my wife happy, it makes me happy. They didn't have to do this and we never mentioned that it was her birthday. And it's little things like this that makes this staff really important to us.

I've see the staff go over and beyond helping the guests and let's face it, in my many travels, I've witness many Canadian tourists being classless, unappreciative and often rude. This staff did everything to accommodate their wishes, even though I would have them leave the resort.

These employees, in my opinion are overworked. 14 - 15 hour day, 20 days in a row is a lot. But fret not, you would never know by their warm smiles. And those smiles are from everyone and all: managers, barman, waiters/tress, drivers, security, janitor, repair man, guides, cooks, and the list goes on. At one point, we even felt guilty as we saw a gentlemen staying up for over 15 hours every day just to make certain that the clients would be safe and monitoring the incoming vehicles. Can you imagine standing up under the hot sun, at 34 Celsius for all this time? Well, they do. And this is one of my disappointment with the resort. It's not about the staff but the management whom I think should be more compassionate towards their staff. At least provide this man with a chair and a parasol. It would be the human thing to do. But it didn't stop this young man to smile at greet us everyday with a "Buenos Dia" and "Como stas". My wife and I really felt guilty to witness that. I hope that the management of Sanctuary or Blue Diamond reads my text and do something to be better to it's wonderful staff.

Personally, my wife and I would definitively go back. I have no complaints about the Sanctuary on the way we were treated. And do recommend it to all.

A special thanks to Rosa and Marie-Sol who were there at all time to make sure that we were satisfied.

Norm Edwards Montreal,...

What a wonderful stay and experience at Sanctuary! We stayed during the week of 16-23 August. The staff were amazing and very attentive. They greeted us daily with a smile and asked us if there was anything we needed. Rosmil, the concierge, offered us his services without being prompted. Anything we needed he coordinated, transportation to the beaches and marina, tours of the other resorts, morning coffee service to our bungalow, amongst other things that we required during our stay. He was absolutely helpful and courteous. Jose Luis, the barkeep, brought our coffee to our room every morning. He was always smiling and up for a good conversation. We really enjoyed our interesting chats at the bar and he made great mojitos and rum punch!

The food was the best that we have ever had in Cuba! The selection was good and the food was always fresh and hot. Food was professionally presented and the head chef, Jeremy, was absolutely amazing. His attention to detail and personal pride added to the stellar dining experience. My wife has a gluten allergy and all of the kitchen staff were well informed of her allergy. They always made certain that a substitute in lieu of gluten was available for each course that contained gluten. Marialis, the server, made sure that my wife was not served any gluten products and she would frequently check with the kitchen staff to ensure that GF was available for her at every meal.

The bungalows were very spacious and exceptionally clean. The showers are very large and the deck is spacious. The beds were quite comfortable and the mini fridge was stocked daily with a bottle of water, and bottle of juice and two beers. We enjoyed our coffee every morning on our deck. The pool was very clean and there were plenty of deck loungers to go around.

This resort is great for couples who want to stay at a quiet place. The resort is absolutely serene and beautiful. There are lots of trees and plants lining the walkways and an old injured iguana that hangs out near the bar. We are counting down the days to our next stay...

I highly recommend Sanctuary, a private resort where I had a great experience in Cayo Largo, Cuba. In my opinion, Cayo Largo has some of the best beaches in Cuba, such as Playa Paraiso (Paradise Beach) and Playa Sirena (Sirena Beach). Staying at Sanctuary, you have three shuttles available to take you to these beaches.||Staying at Sanctuary, you'll also have access to other resorts and their restaurants and bars, making it an excellent choice for those who want to experience the best of Cayo Largo. In my opinion, Sanctuary is the best resort in Cayo Largo, offering a unique blend of luxury, comfort, and convenience.||The service was exceptional and went beyond my expectations. Upon arrival, we were greeted with a welcome drink and a concierge, Rosmil, who asked about our preferences, including food restrictions or allergies and preferred cleaning times. Rosmil was fantastic, a kind-hearted man who went above and beyond to make our trip unforgettable.||Our room was fantastic, and since we were celebrating our third wedding anniversary, they surprised us with a room full of balloons, flowers, and a beautiful message. The staff were friendly and personalized, knowing us by name, from Oscar, the waiter, to Miguel, the entertainment, and Carlos Rafael, who assisted with our luggage.||The food was delicious, and I recommend trying the omelet in the morning, along with mango and pineapple juice. The meals were great, with options like salmon, beef, pork, and chicken at the grill, prepared by Barbaro. The bar service was also good, with cold beer and well-prepared drinks.||Special services are available for an additional fee, and we enjoyed a delicious lobster dinner at another restaurant. Room service is also an option. Overall, we had a great experience and hope to...