Sanctuary at Grand Memories Varadero

Review
Wow! We spent 5 nights there at the end of January. Couldn’t have asked for a better first time in Cuba. The butlers, Janet and Thalia were amazing. All the staff actually were very friendly. The food was better than we expected, with the Italian and Cuban restaurants being the highlight. The snack bar at poolside was also a sleeper hit. The bars were great, I’d recommend bringing lots of $1 bills to tip. Also, Cuba is known for its rum so I’d recommend drinking lots of rum based drinks.
The entertainment was good as well, lots of dancing and lip syncing.
If you don’t have kids, I’d recommend going to the sanctuary side, you still have access to the whole resort but the food and rooms are nicer.

Really great place. My father cannot really move without the help of his cane and all the workers over there would help us if he needs help or just to go into the ocean.
The beach is super great with a lot of activities and the warmth of all the people over there is magical.

I recommend for the hotel, the service, the beach and most importantly, the wonderfull workers. Had a great time.

An incredible stay at Sanctuary Hotel! The service was flawless, and the staff was exceptionally friendly, especially Roxana at the pool bar. Her warmth and attentiveness added a special touch to the experience. I couldn't have asked for better service. Highly recommended for a delightful and relaxing stay!"

This was our 3rd visit to Cuba. Yes there are shortages on some items, but you have to realize that this Country is going through a ruff patch right now. We stayed at Sanctuary Grand Memories, and we where not disappointed. When we arrived I asked for building 33 ( as our friend Norvi is the butler in that building) and there was no problem what so ever fulfilling our request. Our friends room was cancelled due to a mistake made by another couple that was supposed to travel with us but cancelled. And they worked so hard to accommodate them, it only took about a half hour, so no complaints there. The rooms were clean, our maid had fresh towels and water every day☺☺. The staff was fantastic ( except for the one waitress at the Italian restaurant) I must put out a BIG shout out to our butler and friend Norvi. Thank you for making our stay enjoyable. And your partner Jose looked after us when you were not working and it was a pleasure. The beach was clean and quiet. The pool was beautiful. The food was excellent. My husband is a very picky eater and he had no complaints. In my opinion this resort is a 4.5 star resort, some people my not agree but like I said, this is my opinion.You just have to remember that Cuba at its people are going through a ruff patch.

Sanctuary Grand Memories is a place like no other. The people; service and stunning pristine beach with teal water and white sand are what make it a truly one of a kind experience.

Javier was our butler. He was extremely well spoken, helpful, friendly and kind. He went above and beyond every day to make our stay relaxing and enjoyable. Louis was also fabulous, Pedro in Nativa bar and Armando at the pool bar too.

I definitely look forward to coming back and enjoying a pulled chicken sandwich by the beach while I sip on a delicious pina colada.

Loved this resort. The Butlers Rainier and Rosanna were amazing and so friendly. The restaurant at Sanctuary served delicious meals. Loved the location near the beach. The pool area was amazing. Our room was nice and the beds were so comfortable. 😍

Great staff in all areas and have made great friends over three trips to the resort. Food was more than adequate. Wish they go back to wristbands. Love the beach! Love the adults only!

Quiet hotel, no kids allowed. All the staff makes sure you are having a great time. I highly recommend this hotel. Also, the hotel is very clean and food is also great if you do not like the meal please fell free to ask the chef for more options. It was the best thing I did to spend quite and excellent vacations.
Ps: if you are in the USA please don’t book through sunwing.ca.

Forget what they say about the food in Cuba.
You're here for the pristine beaches, the history, the architecture, the culture and of course the world's friendliest people.
Sanctuary has the ultimate staff line up.
Norvi, the world's best concierge.
Carlos your personal assist with anything you need at the beach.
Osmir the Gardener who keeps the property beautiful.
Every bartender and server are at your service with a smile..
Carlos went out of his way every morning to stop by our back porch where I'd have coffee to see what time we'd be at the beach and ensured we had loungers or anything else we needed.
He'd check on us to see if we had drinks or if we needed anything even running to the bar to fill my cooler bag with ice so I didn't have to.
Norvi the ultimate in concierge. Always there when you need him.
We've been to Sanctuary 10 times and these 2 are the biggest reason we return.

Went three weeks ago the staff were amazing our Butler Jenny
was very good and always asking if we required any assistance and how are day was going.Also Butler Abel and Renier were very friendly and helpful. The beach and pool are amazing. The room was great AC working, king size bed and plenty of hot water daily. Our Housekeeper for the week was Dora and she kept the room tidy.
The staff at resort work very hard and always have a smile on their faces.
The food was good, some supplies were limited that we take for granted example Soda pop ( coke pepsi gingerale ) and condiments ( ketchup peanut butter)
Also, a shoutout to Carlos and Alex who work the Beach assisting with Lounge chairs and refreshments .
This was our third trip at Sanctuary, we will definitely be returning .

Amazing staff, they always go abive and beyond expectations. Friendly and helpful, they make you feel at home. The pool area was always clean. The beach was organized and clean.

Just got home from Sanctuary at Grand Memories. Had a wonderful time. The staff here, top notch. They work so hard to make your stay a positive experience. The pool was great and the beach was even better. Thank you to Norvi, Jessica, and Anays. You are truly outstanding. We will be back.

Thank you to the staff of Grand Memories and Sanctuary for another wonderful stay, this is my 7th trip to the hotel

Mayren tank you for your services

Abel. My butler at Sanctuary

My sista Jessica so much fun with Activities

Will always go back

Love the gorgeous beach, adults only at the sanctuary is fantastic. Staff are amazing.
Large clean rooms

Great service! Safe and entertaining. The beach was amazing. We spent everyday at the beach. Jose was very accommodating and took care of all our issues!

I spent my 3rd time at the Sanctuary and thoroughly enjoyed my stay. Its a small resort which is great for the close proximity to the beach, bar, and buffet. The service is fantastic. I wanted to acknowledge Dayron Madruga for being so helpful and friendly. He always made sure I had everything which was much appreciated. I hope to be back soon.

Had an awesome stay. The beach is gorgeous!!, my butlers were so friendly & the food so tasty. Definitely worth the upgrade to the adults-only section of the grand memories. My room was enormous and the bed so comfy. Highly recommended 💯. Shoutout to Ulises, Thalia, Alicia, Miguel and Yaneth.

This place is amazing! The food was good, the service at the A la carte was great. Our maid gave clean towels every day and stocked our refrigerator every day. There was no shortage of alcohol or food. But there was a shortage of Ketchup. You know us Canadians we love our Ketchup, but we surived lol. The staff, Yamaysis, Ailed, Amanda & Talia these ladies went above and beyond! They looked after us well. I have some difficulties walking and these ladies were there to help with anything that we needed. They made our trip special! Oh! My hubby celebrated his birthday there! They made it special!

This was our fourth visit to this resort and definitely wont be our last. The service and friendliness we received was above all expectations each time. A special thank you to Renier Gonzalez Caballero and Malitza Garcia who were our "Butlers". They definitely go above and beyond to ensure we had everything we needed and more. And to Roxana Fiallo who works the pool bar who always greets you with a smile and takes the time to have a conversation with you.
We can't wait to return.

We returned from a recent stay at this hotel and wanted to make sure to do a positive review!

We met the new GM Iago who I think will be offering the hotel a lot!

He also has pro fitness and yoga instructors from NRG2GO that come from Canada and teach. We were lucky to be there when CHERYL from NS, came and taught an aqua class. We couldn’t help but be attracted to her energy and these classes were the highlight of our trip!

No issues with food, service was amazing, rooms huge and beach to die for!! We will be back very soon!