Good and Bad Points

The location is top notch. Food was okay although we were unable to get into the al a carte restaurants as they were always fully booked. We peeked in twice and barely anyone in the a la cartes so not sure what the issue was. Daytime front desk lady was very rude. All other staff were lovely. Definitely not enough bar staff and it’s ridiculous that the three bars must share one blender. Resort was clean so that was good.

Beautiful Resort

Was a FABULOUS little resort, in a beautiful bay. Location was great, short walk to town for shopping ect. Beach was amazing. Great snorkeling at the end of the cove. And really nice hiking trails just off the beach up the mountain. Grounds were VERY well kept and the STAFF were so friendly and helpful. LOVED the place. Cant wait to go back next year

KEEP YOUR EXPECTATIONS LOW AND YOU WILL BE PLEASED

ITS OLD AND SERVICE IS SLOW TO NON EXISTANT. BUFFET FOOD WAS MEDIOCRE AT BEST BUT AL LA CARTE WAS GOOD . BEACH IS AWESOME . POOL IS TO SHALLOW AND THE WATER IS TO WARM . CLOSE TO GROS ISLET WHICH IS NICE. WHEN THE WAVES CALM DOWN THE SNORKELING TO THE LEFT OF THE BEACH IS EXCELLENT .

Just as expected!

We went with our expectations held in check. There is a lot to recommend this resort. The staff is great - they are friendly and helpful. The front desk people are very helpful, and we had the Nexus tour guides to arrange outings. We had some hiccups with the chamber service (no face cloths, change of bath towels had to be requested multiple times). Also, be aware that pool side chairs are at a premium!! I have no idea why the resort can't invest in another 50 loungers (note to management- these [... read more] can be stacked and used as needed!). We had ro get up at 4AM to place towels on chairs to reserve them. The grounds are lovely and well kept. The cats are friendly (and join you on one of the chairs in the evening at the breakwater cafe). Overall, this is a good resort for budget travelers!

Mixed feelings

Negatives: had to ask every day and sometimes several times for clean towels in our room. This is a basic need. A maid let herself in our room (who wasn’t cleaning it) and took our tip that we left for the maid. We only discovered this because we returned to the room 1/2 after leaving. The correct maid came to our room 3 hrs later and we explained what happened. Not only did she steal from a co worker but technically she stole from a guest as she had no right to enter our room if she was not [... read more] cleaning it.

An honest review

An Honest Review The Starfish St Lucia is a 3* resort. If you go in with this expectation, you’ll be fine. That being said there is definitely room for improvement. Check in was relatively quick. You get no direction upon check in though. No instructions on how to use the safe, no info about the hotel like where to get towels, meal times, nothing. You book your a la Carter’s at reception, although when we arrived we had one choice for Italian, and no choice for Asian. The Ital [... read more]ian restaurant was good. I had the chicken Parmesan, the chicken was very tasty…if only you got a little more . (You get about 1/3 of a chicken breast) The buffet was decent, although very repetitive. One fish dish, one chicken dish, rice, lentils, baked beans and a pasta. We had pork once in the week, and the only beef we saw was at the pasta station. Speaking of the pasta station, it was only open for 2 dinners out of 7. Breakfast always had bacon and sausage, eggs multiple ways, fruit, cereal, yogurt, etc. it was good. If they are out of something, simply ask…they have it ready in the back. The rooms are dated, but they are clean and comfortable. The tv has about 70 channels of various languages. Every room has a nice balcony or patio with comfy chairs. There are no ants, there is no mould/mildew…which is rare for a Caribbean island. So kudos there! The beach is gorgeous, the view of the mountain is amazing. There are beach chairs, although a lot of them are broken. They have a few umbrellas that they take in at night, so ask the lifeguard if they have an umbrella available. The umbrellas are also broken, but they are better than nothing. The pool is lovely. There are lounge chairs around the pool with umbrellas, but you better be out there by 7am if you want one. The first half of our week, the hotel was less full, and therefore, going out at 9:00, you would still have chairs available. The second half of the week seems to have brought in more people, thus making it harder to get a chair. The pool bar…wow, what a mess. The main bartender Sheena never cracks a smile. She obviously hates her job. She flings your drink at you, spilling it every time. We tried giving her a generous tip on day 2, that made no difference. On our last night here, Sheena was working the evening shift at the lobby bar, and she was way nicer and smiling. Management take note…move Sheena to evening shift! As for the bar, they seem to have one bottle of each thing, so when they run out of the one bottle of pina colada mix, it’s done for the day. They run out of every type of daiquiri every day, except mango. They ran out of rum one day. They often didn’t have vodka. They often didn’t have Coke, only Diet Coke. The lunch grill…another mess. The food is delicious, but the service is deplorable. You sit there for half an hour without so much as a glass of water. You don’t get served until you flag someone down and beg them to take your order. Once you order, your food comes out at a decent pace. The staff are always at the hut talking to the cooks. I know this sounds like a lot of complaining, but we really did have a great holiday. I’m writing all the bad stuff because I know Management reads these reviews, and every single thing on here is easily fixed, most without even spending money. You need to motivate your staff, they can be your best asset instead of your worst.

So-So resort

Grounds and pool area was good and well maintained. The resort was dated but clean. Rooms are small and they weren’t cleaned 2 days in a row had to go to front desk on the 3rd day to get or room cleaned. The buffet was limited but food was good. The two restaurants were terrible.

Needs some work!!

It’s a very old resort the staff aren’t trained in customer service clearly! Some training would provide opportunities to make more money. Room cleaning wasn’t great, food wasn’t great but we made the best of it for sure.

Starfish Review December 21st-28th 2022

Starfish is a resort that has a lot of unrealized potential. It is located on the west side of the island on the Caribbean sea side in Rodney Bay. This resort is adjacent to a mountain of lush forest, with Pigeon Island National Park at the tip of the island in sight. A plus about Starfish’s location is that just behind the resort is the town of Rodney Bay, which offers a variety of restaurants, shops, a grocery store and a marina. Starfish is situated on a strip of public beach shared by t [... read more]wo other resorts. The beach strip directly in front of Starfish is a sloped and narrow beach that butts up against a retaining wall. This limited space makes it challenging to avoid crashing waves and to keep yourself and your belongings dry. Starfish provides beach chairs, however they seem to be the only beachfront resort in Saint Lucia that does not provide beach umbrellas to guests. Beside the resort is a public beach with shade and even ground, where you can rent a chair with an umbrella. At nightfall, the gate to the beach is locked, so once the sun goes down you can no longer access the beach. The pool was nice. Starfish seems to be the most affordable budget small-scale beachfront all inclusive resort in Saint Lucia, with approximately 100 rooms. The resort has a retro seventies vibe with simple clean rooms. However, the mattress in our room had a massive ditch which made it very uncomfortable to sleep on and should have been replaced with a new mattress. The grounds of Starfish are planted with flowering trees and well-maintained gardens. We were pleased to see a variety of bird and gecko species on site. The kitchen staff at Starfish work very hard to provide meals in the buffet and restaurants. The buffet served three hot meals a day highlighting Saint-Lucian cuisine along with a salad and dessert bar. Between lunch and dinner, they offer an afternoon tea service with cakes.There are three on-site restaurant options for dinner, which are only open on certain days of the week, and reservations must be made in advance. Overall, the food was good. The serving staff have a lot to learn about hospitality, efficiency, prioritizing and problem solving to meet the needs of their guests. Service at the Seaside Grill restaurant was particularly awful. In general, serving staff had difficulty clearing and setting tables, placing orders correctly and delivering orders in a timely manner (including drinks). The room service staff seemed to clean at a snail's pace. Activities at Starfish were lacking. One out of seven nights there was a performance of local dancers and fire spinners. I would have appreciated more cultural activities such as learning more about the local language French Creole (Kwéyòl), a.k.a. Patois (Patwa), music, and dance. They could have more games on site such as a pool table, or foosball table. They have a lovely tennis court with no nets or tennis equipment. The water sports equipment manager insisted on maintaining a red flag (dangerous water conditions) even when water conditions were calm. This meant that nobody was able to access kayaks and sailboats at the resort. Starfish provided tour options to guests at an additional cost through Nexus. We participated in a horseback riding tour and a catamaran Tout Bagay tour. Both were enjoyable tours. Overall, the staff at Starship lack cohesion, consistency, efficiency and leadership, with no sign of a manager on site. The reception staff seem to be finding their feet and providing satisfactory customer service is a work in progress. With the right leadership Starfish and staff training Starfish could become a quality resort that guests would appreciate. My advice is to pay a bit more for a resort that has better service.

Starfish St Lucia Trip was WONDERFUL

Trip was Nov 24-Dec 4. We were not impacted in any way by the Nov 6th, 6” of rain over 3 hours that caused water/sewage issues on North St Lucia. That is what the terrible reviews were about. People who visited then unfortunately had Mother Nature against them- not the hotel or staff. All issues that they dealt with were rectified. Our stay was GREAT. More than what we could have imagined for what we paid. We had a warm greeting by Alessandro’s and staff. Rooms were perfect & cle [... read more]aned daily. Zero water issues. Food was delicious. Went to the oriental and Italian restaurants about 6 times. Tried multiple starters, entree’s, and always a couple pizzas to end the night. Portions were good to be able to try multiple dishes which I like. Never felt stuffed and got to try all different things. Delicious cheese!!! Beach restaurant was super delish too. Tried almost everything in menu and never disappointed. Kevin from maintenance brought us a new safe - easy peasy! Giselle made me the perfect omelet EVERYDAY! Kevin, Kenny and Vincent ensured our drinks were plentiful. Gotta try their banana daiquiris (with milk) OMG!!! Aiden, Alma, Cedrik, Cathy, Miss V, Christie, Yana all were amazing in the various dining rooms always making our day better with their warm friendly personalities! Darren, executive Chef was eager to hear our honest feedback and had his pastry chef (Shanique) make us a special dessert (charros) poolside. YUMMY!!! Shereem was a bubble of energy bringing fun at night and during the day. Akin, the greeter/bellboy made us feel so welcomed. Such a sweetheart! Bedianna and her colleague (so sorry my hubby didn’t remember her name) gave superb couples massages for us to help commemorate our anniversary. The Island Cowboy and Andreas were brought in to entertain guests with their awesome singing! Definitely hit the spot. Lumber, our taxi driver to the Friday Night Street Party was a hoot. Overall I give our stay at this resort a 5 star for how we were treated and how hard they worked to recover from the devasting flood that had such a difficult impact on their reopening in early Nov. What I would say about the early reviews, is that they are the past. Hotel did not deny they experienced a tough start. I admired their honesty and even more was impressed with their tenacity to not give up despite the few bad reviews they got, but rather stand strong and continue to improve. With the picturesque view they have and amazing white sand, clean (no seaeeed) beach, and outstanding staff, this resort is worth the visit!! Thanks everyone and I apologize for anyone I missed naming out. Everyone was great!!! Txs from Canada - Patti, Danny, Chris and Shane (room 214)

Small, Intimate Resort

We've always wanted to go to St. Lucia and when we found the Starfish and it was within our budget; we jumped at it! This is a 3 star resort. No room service, drink service on the beach, menu choices and entertainment is limited. With that said, this is a small, intimate resort. Staff is amazing, resort is clean, food is great and beach fantastic. If you're looking for a low-key vacation in the centre of everything, the Starfish is the place for you!

A Great Resort

The Starfish is an older resort but it makes it a more friendly resort. The staff are more engaged and the resort is well maintained. The beach is beautiful, the food was great and we have already recommended this resort to friends.

Great week away

Starfish St Lucia is in the perfect spot. Beautiful beach and close to mall casino bars and restaurants. No need for taxis. The only complaint we had and many others was that they kept running out of things. You couldn’t get certain drinks they didn’t have for example bananas or they ran out of beer and ice and that was early when pool bar just opened. They didn’t seem to care (probably sick of people complaining) Other then that it was a great week with beautiful weather. Rooms were a l [... read more]ittle old but not that bad and the bed was comfy.

Basic but adequate for price

Stayed June 1 to 8th 2019 We knew before we left it was not a fancy place but it was for the most part fairly clean and adequate. The first room they took us to smelled very moldy. With my allergies I knew I could not stay there. The bell hop offered to have it cleaned but I think it needed more than that! After a long wait, .. the took us to the second room which also had a bit of musty smell but we found out later why. When you used the shower or bath it there was a water puddle in the roo [... read more]m. Obviously a drain issue. We told the maid but she said we had to call front desk We never bothered because we did not want to change rooms again. The food at the restaurants were just ok, …nothing special ever. There is usually a fish choice and a meat choice at the buffet. Both meat and fish usually overcooked. One night they were supposed to have turkey but I guess they ran out and served dry chicken again! Fruit was a big bonus when available. Wax apples, etc were good but man … the bananas were awesome! Service in the hotel was hit and miss. Some really nice servers, … and some really poor ones. The oriental restaurant had decent offerings but we both felt ill after eating at the Italian. The pool was always nice and clean. Unfortunately the whole pool is only 3’ deep Beach was very nice. Good clean sand and nice spot roped off for swimming. The bars were a bit awkward. The lobby bar was open noon to 3 then 6-12 pm. If you wanted a pop or drink in between 3 and 6pm you had to go to the pool bar to get a small plastic water glass full of whatever you were drinking. If they thought you were going to the beach it was a flimsy single use plastic glass. Very wasteful and tacky! Activities around the pool were led by someone shouting into a microphone. Very irritating Nightly entertainment was really bad. Trying to tip was a challenge. Front desk never had small American bills and neither did the staff. They offered to convert to their money but I wasn’t about to learn a new currency. It ended up saving me a lot of money. I made sure to tip the good servers well but the others I didn’t bother. The best part of the trip was our bus driver Matheus. He collected us at the airport and gave us a great history lesson on the 1-1/2 hour trip to the hotel. Including may tips about getting around the island by ourselves. Many on the same bus booked the Land and Sea day trip on Tuesday and we were lucky enough to get the same bus driver for that! We asked and got him again for the return trip to the airport. What a wonderful person, historian and ambassador to his island! Driving on the island can be treacherous! There are no guard rails and in the mountains there are many switch backs and places where you look out the window and can not see a shoulder, …. Just 100’ drop! I was more than happy to leave it to a professional, … and Matheus was obviously one of the best! One tip he gave us was that to get to the market, … it was quite safe to take the bus to the market for $3 EC. just be sure to ask where you catch the return bus. He also said that going on your own past the market was not advised, .. there was nothing more to see but safety might be in question. Some friends we met did go to the market and walked beyond and said it was not very comfortable feeing. I wouldn’t go out of my way or pay too much to return to this hotel but if others were going,, … I might join them! Rumors have it that it may be bulldozed and rebuilt, so we may never get a chance! One thing I really liked was there were very few smokers and most used the smoking area near the beach. thank you!

Quaint, Perfect Setting

This is a very basic no frills resort. That being said, it is in an absolute gorgeous location. The beach settled at the base of the mountain on the left is clean and crystal clear in the light golden sand. There are fish and the snorkeling is fun. The pool is small and shallow but nice. We spent most of our time at the beach. There are non motorized watercraft and snorkeling gear available for rent. You can also book the catamaran to get a good view of the bay, pigeon island and the boats in th [... read more]e water. The resort itself was clean and the staff work hard. Tipping was appreciated by all the staff. We were in the 100 building at ground level and it was so close to everything on this small resort. The food was excellent, very fresh and although not a lot of variety at the buffet you will not go hungry. The fruit was delicious. The burgers at the beach grill were good. The a la cartes were okay. The ages of people varied from young families to older couples. This is not a party resort and there is not much for nightly entertainment and little event staff during the day. We were there to purely relax so that was a non isssue. We enjoyed the small atmosphere. There is good security, the locals will approach you on the beach, just tell them no thanks if you aren’t interested in what they are selling. You can charter a boat to pigeon island to the left of the resort for the same cost as a cab. The beach itself is an interesting walk and there are different rentals and other resorts and bars along the beach. Town is a short walk as well and has everything you need such as bars and restaurants. You can book excursions thru the hotel or hire a private guide which was what we did for much better value. The island must be explored. We used Ashley he was wonderful. We would definitely go back to this resort if it is still there in the fall. There was talk of it being rebuilt and we could probably not afford it in that case. It is perfect for the value. St. Lucia is truly beautiful.

Great value for money

Long drive from airport but worth it. Staff excellent, Resort's pool and beach very conveniently close for all rooms, foods good, entertainment is weak and if youre on 2nd floor expect loud music from local bars till wee hours in morning. Typically an older crowd I would definitely go back

Great resort

The starfish Saint Lucia formerly known as the Papillon de Rex is a small resort, the beach is super nice, clear water no rocks or weeds. The pool was big and clean, the food was excellent, there is 2 a la carte the Italian and the Asian both are good just needed to go to the lobby and book the day before, the buffet was small not much selection but everything was good. the snack bar was also great, hot dog, hamburger, fish and chip were all great. No issues getting beach towels or chairs for th [... read more]e pool or beach, on the beach you put your towels on the chairs and they would install a umbrella. There is a bar near buy that you can hear loud music on the weekends.The only bad thing was my room, there was no hot water but went to the lobby and they changed my room. No shows at night, only have a DJ. You are walking distance to 2 malls and duty free shops and restaurants. Overall I strongly recommend this resort went week of March 9th, great price.

Amazing place

Small resort, very clean, very nice staff , beach is awesome. Only problem was we lost hot water & water pressure on a couple of occasions. Local bar's music very loud on the weekend hard to sleep. overall very happy.

A little piece of paradise!

We stayed at this resort March 3-10th. Although the resort is dated we really enjoyed it. The location is perfect, such a beautiful view of the bay, Pigeon Island and a hillside right next to the edge of the property. We liked the food and drinks. Although theres only 2 a la carte restaurants we always had variety and good food. Rooms were clean, but dated. Always cleaned early. Hot water in the shower was dicey. The Activity department was great.... we enjoyed Antonio and Joel. I  [... read more]plan on returning....

Good overall resort

The hotel was older but well maintained. Nice and close to the beach and walking distance to shopping mall and stores. Easy to catch a bus to the city for shopping as well. The entertainment was minimal. Although the food was good, it was never really hot. The pool is shallow all round, no deep end and doesn't open till 9 am. More importantly is that the airport shuttles did not recognize the name "Starfish" Resort, they knew it only as the old name which is still on the building as "Papillon [... read more]" which meant that I and some other people got suckered into paying 85-90 US dollars for a cab to get to the resort that was 1.5 hrs away from the airport while other people managed to find the shuttle to get there.