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Blog / Cayo Santa Maria: Cuba’s all-inclusive island paradise on the rise
New developments, experiences & more
Last month, Hola Sun, the Cuba Specialist, took agents on their annual FAM trip to discover Cuba. This time, agents visited Trinidad, Topes de Collantes, and Cuba’s all-inclusive gem – Cayo Santa Maria!
Recently, Cayo Santa Maria has experienced significant growth with many new attractions and developments, and we've gathered all the essential information you need to keep informed about the destination!
Destination Information:
Cayo Santa Maria is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Cuba, thanks to its pristine beaches, ever-evolving resort scene, and unique location.
Cayo Santa Maria is a small island off Cuba’s northern coast. To reach this magnificent cay, you have to cross the ocean literally!
In late 1980, the Cuban government under Fidel Castro’s leadership revealed an ecological construction plan designed to connect the cays (Cayo Coco, Cayo Cruz, Cayo Santa Maria & Cayo Guillermo) to the mainland. Each causeway is man-made and is about 48 km long. This move has significantly helped Cuba's tourism industry, opening up previously isolated destinations within the country.
Cayo Santa Maria is located approximately 120 km from Abel Santamaría Airport (SNU), the nearest international gateway. Your Cuban adventure begins the moment you leave the airport, as you'll pass through a few charming colonial towns on the scenic journey to your beach destination.
The area itself consists of three interconnected cays—Cayo Las Brujas, Cayo Santa Maria, and Cayo Ensenachos—featuring over 20 hotels, one marina, a dolphinarium, and its own small airport for domestic flights.
Hotel Updates:
Playa Kids & Playa Luxury
Playa Hotels (part of Gaviota Hotels) has done a major redevelopment of its Playa brand across the destination, offering two innovative hospitality experiences:
- Playa Luxury, an elevated hospitality concept that emphasizes premium accommodations, personalized service, and exclusive amenities designed for discerning travellers seeking exceptional comfort and sophistication
- And Playa Kids, a concept that offers a specially designed family experience featuring dedicated children's areas, activities, colourful themed accommodations, and kid-friendly dining options that create an engaging environment where young guests can safely explore, play, and make memories.
During the FAM, Travel Agents, along with Hola Sun, have inspected two Playa properties in Cayo Santa Maria:
Playa Luxury Cayo Las Brujas: Formerly known as Ansagna, this adults-only resort features 252 rooms across two beaches. Room service comes standard with luxury accommodations, and all suites are undergoing renovation to achieve luxury status starting December 2024.
Playa Cayo Santa Maria: Playa Cayo Santa Maria offers an exclusive beachfront experience with three distinct sections to suit every guest’s needs. The Playa Luxury section is an adults-only paradise, featuring personalized concierge service, complimentary lobster dinner, soothing massages, and a seamless check-in and check-out experience. There, you can dine anywhere you choose—beach, your room, or garden—and enjoy free transfers with prior booking. With just 2 buildings and 66 rooms, the Playa Luxury area guarantees an intimate, elevated retreat.
Playa Cayo Santa Maria, Luxury, Cuba
Bonus: The Cigar Bar is an exclusive perk for guests staying in Playa Luxury, though it is available to others for an additional fee. No matter which section you choose, Playa Cayo Santa Maria promises a luxurious, memorable stay.
One more fantastic feature of Playa Luxury is its upgraded transportation experience. Every guest can enjoy a brand-new bus created exclusively for Playa Luxury, offering comfortable seating, charging stations, an onboard bathroom, and much more!
Families can unwind in the Playa Kids section, where rooms and decorations are specially designed to delight younger guests. This area includes approximately 160 rooms spread across 4 buildings (currently only one is operational), providing a playful and inviting atmosphere for families.
Playa Cayo Santa Maria, Kids, Cuba
This property is the company’s first resort in Cuba, which opened in 2018 with 660 rooms. The brand now operates five hotels in Cuba, with a sixth planned for January 2026 in Havana. Currently, the brand has over 20 projects signed across the Caribbean region.
Vila Gale is a Portuguese hotel group that entered the Cuban market in 2023 with the first property in Cayo Paredon, the destination’s latest island development. Earlier this year, Vila Gale visited Toronto with a mission to announce further expansion in Cuba! Now, the hotel brand operates 3 more properties on the island (previously Sirenis hotels): in Cayo Santa Maria, Varadero, and Havana.
The Cayo Santa Maria property boasts 633 rooms.
To help explore Cuba more, Vila Gale offers special packages with a few nights in each of the properties.
Iberostar Ensenachos:
If you want to visit the Cayo Ensenachos, Iberostar is your only and best option! Iberostar Ensenachos is the only company that offers accommodations on this cay. The brand offers two hotel options: Iberostar Selection Ensenachos (family-friendly with 460 rooms) and Iberostar Coral Ensenachos (adults only with 46 villas).
Iberostar Cuba has been operating in Cuba for 30 years and offers a wide array of accommodations across the island. For more information, please click here.
Sol Cayo Santa Maria is a 4-star property that reopened in November 2022 (after Hurricane Irma and COVID closures) with freshly reconstructed rooms and an adults-only concept.
The hotel features close to 300 rooms with a maximum of 3 adults per room.
Royalton Cayo Santa Maria blends authentic Cuban atmosphere with upscale amenities and meticulous service delivery, creating a distinctive vacation setting exclusively for adult travellers.
The resort features 122 accommodations ranging from standard rooms to suites, along with a well-equipped fitness facility, flexible dining options without required reservations, and nightly entertainment programming that keeps guests engaged throughout their stay.
Grand Memories Cayo Santa Maria:
Grand Memories Cayo Santa Maria delivers a complete family vacation experience with modern amenities and Caribbean warmth. The all-inclusive property offers spacious accommodations across multiple categories, including family zones and an adults-only area. Daily activities range from water sports and fitness classes to poolside fun and evening entertainment, while the supervised Kids Club keeps younger guests engaged. The comprehensive package covers buffet dining, around-the-clock snacks, beverages, daily minibar service, and complimentary safes—letting families relax without worry.
Located in pristine Cayo Santa Maria off Villa Clara's northern coast, the resort sits amid powdery white beaches and crystal-clear waters. A highlight is the Cayo Santa Maria Dolphinarium, where families can swim with dolphins or watch their acrobatic displays—creating magical memories for all ages. Whether seeking aquatic adventures, quality time together, or peaceful relaxation, Grand Memories Santa Maria provides the perfect Caribbean getaway.
One Gallery & One Collection Resort:
Having welcomed visitors for several years now, The One Gallery Resort has grown into one of the top choices for travellers visiting Cuba. With 621 rooms, the hotel provides a wide range of activities and entertainment for everyone.
The resort stands out because of its distinctive design, showcasing artwork from well-known international and local artists displayed throughout the property. It is a creative environment where art, music, enjoyment, and cultural heritage blend seamlessly to offer an unforgettable experience.
The hotel offers 2 unique experiences:
- The Fun Squad offers daily animation, shows, and pool parties.
- Gastronomic Gallery, a culinary program offering unique flavours, textures, and innovative presentations.
A key factor behind the growing popularity of the One Gallery property is the variety of events, concerts, and festivals held annually, such as the upcoming New Year’s party, Cayotonazo, and the Cayo Santa María Music Fest, which is just a short distance from the resort. This festival showcases performances by legendary 90s musicians, world-renowned DJs, and lively beach parties!
For an elevated stay, we recommend choosing the new One Collection property located a short distance away from the One Gallery Resort. This sister property features 67 rooms and has been created for a VIP clientele. Here is what you will experience while staying at the One Collection:
- Early check-in and late check-out
- Special details and amenities upon arrival
- Top-shelf liquor
- Access to the facilities of the One Gallery Resort
- Personalized service
- 25-minute massage session included in each stay
- Exclusive transportation for transfers within the destination (to the hotel and plazas) and more!
One Collection also has The One Boulevard Collection plaza included in the stay! The plaza includes restaurants, bars, a spa, and various stores.
Excursions
Gaviota Tours holds exclusive excursion rights in Cayo Santa Maria, offering everything from catamaran tours and jeep safaris to various cultural experiences like a visit to the Cuba farm or the colonial cities of Remedios and Trinidad. You can also opt for an eco-tour to the Topes de Collantes, a nature reserve with stunning views, hiking trails, and waterfalls.
Cayo Santa María All In
To top the list of the new experiences in the destination is a brand new initiative called “Cayo Santa María All In”, an added-value program that allows your clients to experience more of Cayo Santa María’s offerings beyond the hotel. This program extends the all-inclusive concept to the 3 plazas in the area: Plaza Gallery, Plaza Las Dunas & The One Collection, and it is absolutely FREE for all guests staying in Cayo Santa Maria (and yes, any resort!). For more information, please click here.
Cayo Santa Maria continues to shine as a vibrant and evolving destination, offering something special for every traveller—from luxurious resorts and family-friendly stays to exciting excursions and cultural experiences—making it a must-visit gem in Cuba’s Caribbean paradise.
For more information on the destination Hola Sun offerings, please visit https://holasunholidays.ca/destination/cuba/cayo-santa-maria/.
