I was very nervous about going to Cuba after reading some of the reviews, but have to say that some people complain about NOTHING.
The hotel was amazing, we were treated brilliantly by all staff (but the staff in the lobby bar were sometimes workshy) however waiters in the buffet excelled themselves, serving us, and makign us comfortable.
The maid service could not be faulted nor could the overall cleanliness of the hotel and gardens, there were people cleaning constantly, and I really cannot see where on earth the complaints stem from.
The beach and garden areas were sprayed for mosquitos daily, the staff on the beach were very polite and friendly and the hotel itself was of a high standard.
We will definately return to this hotel.

I was staying there for only two nights with friends on my recent Caribean and Central America trip.

The location of the hotel is great, it has a nice beach with enough chairs, a nice pool, poolbar, different restaurants, a club, a theatre, a bistro etc. Everything you would expect from a five star all inclusive resort in the Caribean.

Being in Cuba, of course everything went a little slower than in europe so I won't say anything about being punctual or efficient, that would simply be unfair and if you travel to those destinations you have to expect, cope and deal with it - if you can't then stay at home.

Now I want to say that our rooms were both great, there were back facing but being on the beach all day that didn't bother me in the slightest. The only two things that I wasn't happy about were first the quality of food, not the variety. Most of the buffet food was quiet oily, soggy - it just didn't taste anything like you would have expected. Off course, knowing what supply they have I don't want to be to critical and putting someone off not to go there.

The only thing that really freaked me out is the constant try to sell you things, let it be CD's, Cigars, or even more odd stuff. One night we sat in the main restaurant and the waiter came over with a napkin in his hand. We were expecting to be welcomed and asked after what we want to drink or maybe given the menue. Far off.... instead this waiter showed us CD's and hidden Ciggars in his napkin. We kindly told him we have no interest and simply want to eat. He left somewhat disappointed and five seconds afterwards his supervisor came over and offered us more of these things as he thought we didn't buy anything from the first guy as he wasn't senior enough. This is really a terrible start in the evening. We weren't treated too kindly after rejecting their offers and somewhat being ignored as well.
Nevermind, these things happen I only wish they wouldn't have happen to me that time.

I probably still would return as the hotel is nice with great facilities and great guests as well.

Given some of the comments and reviews, I left really not expecting much from this hotel. Having just returned I am sure people must travel to another planet or dimension as although not perfect, this hotel was a fabulous base to our holiday.
On arrival we were very pleasantly surprised, check in was quick and stress free and the view from the lobby down to the beach and turquoise water is beautiful.
Our standard room was comfortable and large, being on the first floor we had a terrace rather than a balcony with a sea view (I think every room has a sea view). I only found out a few days in that you can leave your spare key card in the energy saver so your air con runs all the time. Something I found quirky were the set of scales in the bathroom, I did not venture near them once.
During our stay they were undertaking some improvements the green bits on the outside are being painted canary yellow: overdue!! The main lobby bar closed for a complete remodel (thats what we were told) look forward to seeing the results and the roof was being replaced on the pool restaurant, none of which really impacted on our stay.
The grounds of the hotel are wonderfully manicured, hopefully the lick of paint will help improve a couple of tired looking walls and pillars. On the whole however the hotel is very clean and well maintained. The pool areas, beach and sea are fabulous. We preferred the beach as you got a nice breeze (a little too much some days). The sea is wonderfully warm.
The food is always an area of concern, especially all inclusive as you really are stuck with it for two weeks. With a choice of 3 speciality restaurants and the main buffet I did not go hungry once. I am a finicky eater and do not like bones or fat/gristle in my food. Neither of us were ill, despite consuming larger than normal portions some evenings.
In the cold section there was always a great selection of fresh fruits, veg/salad, cooked meats and fish (king prawns, muscles, crab), although I have to say I cannot eat cold Brussel sprouts. The hot section had a choice of veg and meat dishes, the cut of day which could be anything from pork, turkey to an entire fish (get there early is doesn’t last long) and the hot griddle where a chef will cook your chosen meat or fish in front of you. There is also a pizza/pasta bar and a desert area.
We tried all three speciality restaurants, returning for a second time to the Japanese which is great fun, watch the eyebrows though as they may get singed off.
If that really is not enough and you are still peckish, bar snacks are always available and a plate of fries or cheeseburger really do fill a gap at 2am in the morning and soak up the excess alcohol you will drink!!!!
It has to be said the hotel is not buzzing at night, but we still met some great friends in the main bar area and spent many an evening sampling the cocktails (they ran out of gin a couple of times) and generally getting merry. I would like to say a special thanks to Angela and James at this point who helped make our holiday extra special even if we did regret a couple of major hangovers. Still what are holidays for!
We checked out the evening entertainment three times and passed on the beach party for fear of mosquito bites, the sports bar was not our cup of tea and always seemed deserted. Talking of bites I think everyone we met got the odd few, they seem to eat you within your first few days and then just have a nibble from time to time. We did spray with repellent every evening, I wish we took a plug-in for the room, as I am sure the majority of them occurred whilst sleeping. The hotel do fumigate the grounds regularly.
Overlooking the very minor things our main grumble was with the sporadic service. It really can be summed up quite simply as ALL or NOTHING. From the names I remember Mavis and Leandro in the lobby bar were fantastic. A 5 CUC tip (about £2.85) does go a long way to ensuring your waiter returns and keeps your drink topped up. That said you cannot tip everyone all the time so pick your favourites and drink as much as you can before shift change at 11pm. I always found the beach bar staff grumpy and uninterested and helped myself to the still drinks rather than stress over their attitude. A 1 CUC seemed adequate at the grill in the buffet and our evening waiter seemed happy with anything from between 2-5 CUC. It's your call, but for the sake of a few ££’s it can make a big difference. Give your maids 10CUC and they even fold up all your clothes.
We ended our holiday with an overnight stay and tour of Havana which is an absolute must. This also avoids the 2.5hr journey back to the airport (if you fly with Virgin) on your last day. Don’t expect your hotel to be the same standard as the MLA, even though your rep promises it will be. Talking of whom (Eduardo, Virgin’s local rep) I found him a little stand offish and disinterested especially concerning my questions about the trip to Havana.
All in all a fantastic holiday, where we met some great friends so thanks to Angela, James, Lee, Richard, Sharon and Vincent for making our holiday so much fun, we hope you all arrived home safely.
Given this is my first review I have either rambled on or missed out great big chunks so if you have any questions just ask.

We had an incredible two weeks at the Melia Las Americas in April/May. At the end of our stay, we could have kept on staying for months.
The hotel was wonderful, our accomodation (bungalow junior suite) could not have been inproved on and the staff went out of their way to be so pleasant, especially Maria who made the most incredible things from our towels, Aurora in the buffet restaurant, who has the most incredible smile on this planet, Santana ensured that our wine glasses never, ever emptied. In fact, all of the staff we encountered during our stay were really exceptional.
We are planning to return as soon as the pennies and time allows.
M & D (a couple of oldies 60+ )
Morinville Alberta Canada