A Spanish-run all-inclusive with 464 rooms overlooking gorgeous sands of Playa Esmeralda, this classy resort comprises two adjoining hotels that originated as separate Sol Meliá entities. The physical setting is superb, with bathtub-warm, gin-clear, reef-protected shallows, and tremendous snorkeling nearby. Nearby facilities include a pitch-and-putt golf course and horseback riding, and the tour desk offers a wide range of excursions. The management here has succeeded in motivating staff to a degree unusual in Cuba.

The huge freeform pool gets lively – perhaps too much for those guests who like peace and quiet. Cuisine is of a surprisingly high standard. For entertainment, guests get the usual run of nightly cabarets and twice-weekly, and there's live music in the lobby bar. Other amenities include a spa and well-equipped gym, and there's a mini-club for kids. And there's no shortage of watersports and activiites, from archery to tennis.

The Luna complex was closed for a total refurbishment in mid 2008. Newly refurbished last year, rooms in the Mares section are coloful, with Caribbean-themed decor and furnishings. The best rooms are those higher up, which offer views. We like that rooms have CD players, in-room safes, hair-dryers, and even irons and ironing boards, in additional to air-conditioning, satellite TV and phones. A weak link here, though, is the outdated bathrooms, despite their generally reliable plumbing. All in all, it's an excellent, well-managed option and far exceeds any of the Cubanacán hotels in nearby Guardalavaca.