Great value

A good resort with friendly staff and very clean property. The only improvement needed is the buffet, the food was not hot and the service was slow. The buildings are conveniently located to all activities and the listed pathways make it easy to get around.

A nice vacation spot.

The weather and beach was fantastic. The rooms were spacious and clean but lacking sound proofing we could hear the neighbors' every sound. Mosquito screen was missing from the balcony door. I understand the huge logistic problems the resort has to deal with for the enormous distance from the main land. I was kind of expecting shortages of supplies and I was right even napkins at lunch were in short supply on some drays. The food was so so but never got sick. I think this resort has great potent [... read more]ial to become a fantastic vacation place but management faces a huge challenge. I had the pleasure to speak with Jose Schmidt the Director General he seems a very talented caring individual. I think he will succeed in transforming Star Fish into a high quality resort. All in all out of four trips to Cuba Cayo Santa Maria has the best beach. Not a bad resort for Cuban standards.

Scared for no reason

To start I'd like to thank Nancy, Carlos, Raymundo & Mariella for their excellent service which truly enhanced our stay at the Starfish! My 16 yr. old daughter & I just returned from March Break at this resort. Having traveled to Sol Cayo Largo in 2013 I knew what I should expect from Cuba. To my surprise not only was this resort and Santa Maria beyond what I could've imagined, we would surely return to rekindle our love for this place. Like many will recommend, be aware that Cuba doesn't ever c [... read more]laim to be 5 star and the worst part of our vacation was only attributable to some rude Canadians that live outside of the province of Ontario . . .no, I don't mean Winnipeg, Edmonton or the east coast. Tips from those that arrived before us helped for example book your a la cartes early and to eliminate some flooding from the bathtub, we found it best to sit while showering. Food was plentiful, hot, varied and reliable. We had grilled fish daily, lots of vegetables and a hearty assortment of any carb you desire. There are two pools, one for party time & one for relaxation & rest. Same with the beach loud with music & quiet with shade available. If you love to take in a lovely sunrise, sunset, turquoise water for miles, white powdery sand, fantastic meals and a variety of beverages I recommend you visit this paradise. Tip generously as staff work hard and want to please, try to learn the language it makes for a more enjoyable experience and remember that you are in a different country so be respectful. We will return and have already recommended this resort & the area to friends. Oh also, take in a show at night . . . they take a little while to get started typically around 9:20 but well worth it & there's some very talented performers!

Wonderful vacation

Our room was very clean bright and spacious, no musty dusty smell at all like you Our room was very clean, bright and spacious, no musty dusty smell at all like you can sometimes get in the Caribbean. I found the entire resort to be very clean, lots of staff. The beach was beautiful, could use a few more shade huts The entertainment was constant - from foam party at the pool, volleyball on the beach, to the evening concerts before the evening show, there was always something going on and there  [... read more]was always a bar nearby. The food was good, for Cuban hotel standards. The only and very small complaint would be the long wait at the grills at the buffets. 15 +/- minutes for a fresh omelet - seemed like the cooks would only make 2/3 things at a time even thought they had lots more room left on the grill, but hey it's Cuba, you're on vacation - why rush... I would definitely recommend the Starfish to anyone going.

Amazing resort!

The hotel is great, the space is huge and the beach amazing, we spent 3 nights and 4 fabulous days, for sure we are coming back!!! We recommend the hotel for couples and families, it is quite and a lot of activities, the Michael Jackson show was amazing!!! Congrats to the entertainment team

Beautiful beach but very bad food

We came back from Starfish March 26th and overall we had a good week there! The good No question about it, the beach is beautiful! The hotel staff are friendly. We were there with our 9-month old baby and everyone was always smiling at her and talking to her. At the Mexican Restaurant, the waiter held her for our entire meal so we could eat. He was so nice and made her stop crying. That is what I call awesome customer service! The pools are nice! We were happy that the hotel had 2 different pool [... read more]s to choose from. One pool is a bit calmer than the other. We enjoyed spending time at both of them depending on our mood. Coffee! The coffee at the lobby bar was very tasty! The bad The food. I just could not imagine how bad the food could be. I really just thought that everyone who complained about it probably are just overreacting. But no, they are right, the food is very bad! To find the better options, go for the omelettes and fried rice that the chef prepares in front of you! The rooms could use some work. Our toilet wasn't working properly and the shower didn't drain fast enough. The fan and fridge was pretty noisy! This was our first time in Cuba and we enjoyed it! We will be more prepared to have a lousy food week next time we go and maybe bring some ketchup with us!

A wonderful week at Star Fish!

The beach is so amazing!! The resort is huge, lots of walking, and it took us almost all week to get the hang of the layout...traveled with family, our rooms were far apart, and many of us got lost on the paths. Not good signage, and poorly lit paths at night in spots. But other than that we loved it! The buffet was hit and miss, typical for Cuba, but all our meals at the a la carte restaurants were very good!! Italian was our favorite! The pools ('busy' side and 'quiet' side) were great for coo [... read more]ling off, and both have fun swim up bars! We brought extra towels, and usually would walk down the beach to get a palapa in the morning, there was always staff there to help. There are great burgers & hotdogs at two beach grills, perfect for a quick lunch! And yummy!! Bank at the resort was a bit of a problem, long line-ups in the morning, no internet connection some days to allow cash from credit cards, or simply no cash left if you went later in the day. There was always. I sic in the lobby, and we particularly enjoyed the gazebos with bar service after dinner! The BEST was the beach though, by far, have been to quite a few different spots, and this is a very close second only to Horseshoe Bay in Bermuda. Crystal clear blue water, you can see all the way to the bottom all the time, very little seaweed, and no rocks at all, the whole ocean literally feels like silk under your feet, don't bother packing water shoes, you won't need them here!!

Great Holiday

The Resort was very clean, Staff very friendly, The Beach was Amazing - Pools and bartenders were awesome! Had lots of food, met alot of other Canadians from all over - had a very good holiday - Weather was perfect - no rain and lots of sunshine and blue skies.

Felt so welcome!

Such a great place to go and just relax and have a holiday. Trip Central representative was very helpful and answered all questions regarding pesos, room request etc. The resort was very clean and the staff could not do enough to help. I am not a picky eater but honestly there was always something on the buffets and a la cartes that was very good. Seriously folks - a very enjoyable holiday and a very good price. Would I go back - YES!

Beautiful Beach!!

We travelled to Starfish Cayo Santa Maria from March 11th to 18th, 2015. At the time of booking, we asked for a king-sized bed and a room on the top floor. That's exactly what we got! The rooms are spacious and well laid out. From our balcony, we could see the beautiful ocean emerald waters to our slight right and straight ahead was one of the pools with the 24 hour grill next to it. And of course. lots of green foliage, palm trees waving in the breeze. Food The food in the buffet was quite ad [... read more]equate with plenty of variety. Usually always fresh fish, chicken, pork, smoked salmon, prosciutto for meats. Although we did get treated to lobsters on a Friday lunch. I had more than one. Yummy!! We were also treated to a roasted pig one afternoon as well. Man, that was good! They get roasted just outside the Grill restaurant. Also lots of fruits at every meal and plenty of bread choices. Breakfast was always good with the breakfast cook at your disposal to cook your eggs and omelettes and warm your bacon for you. Beach If you want a good spot on the beach, make sure you secure your beach chairs early as they fill up fast. We would go right after breakfast near 8:00 a.m. and just barely get a reasonable spot under one of the many palapas located at beachfront. The beach has plenty of white sand for kids or adults to frolick in. This is one the nicest beaches I have ever seen. Even nicer than Punta Cana or the Mayan Riviera. I know, it's hard to believe, but it's true! Check the beach photos Entertainment They have a good variety of live evening shows. We went to see the Michael Jackson tribute show. It was pretty good! They also have the cuban dancers and other shows. I didn't attend them all as they start at 9:00 p.m. Usually, right after the supper buffet, they have some kind of live music band playing in front of the theatre entranceway. Tip: I can't recommend all the a la carte restaurants. We went for the seafood restaurant one night. I ordered surf and turf and got a small piece of fish and a small piece of chicken that was tough and chewy. I was kind of hoping for steak and lobster? However, the seafood soup was good.

Relaxing resortThe

There were 2 large pools. Very well maintained. Beach was so nice. Beach chairs were kept clean and there were staff always attending to guests providing necessaries. The garden and paths were very pleasant. The rooms were well looked after. There was live relaxing music in the lobby every evening. The night shows were fairly OK. But the music was too loud for us. But noticed others were enjoying it very much. Food was fairly OK. But get bored after few days. There was a variety of sea food like [... read more] crabs, lobsters and shrimps. There were long line ups for pasta, pizza and omelettes and crabs..

Good value

Grounds are nice Food ok - huge line-ups for buffet grills for all meals Buffet service ok Italian and Cuban restaurants - food and service good Mexican food and service - poor Organizing a beach party with incredibly loud noise that lasted until nearly 2:00 am is ignorant Definitely a problem at the pool with the entertainers and loud music - sometimes coming from 3 locations (different music) at the same time 15 trips to Cuba - 1st place where so many chairs are reserved most of the day for no [... read more] one - some case people reserve chairs in the shade AND in the sun

Starfish Resort

The overall rate of this hotel is Good. The only common I can add that the quality of the food is very poor.................................................................................................

Beautiful Beach!

The resort is way too big, the service wasn't that great, some staff more friendly then others, food was less then okay, but I didn't go hungry. The rooms was very old and somewhat clean. Bath towels and beach towels were change daily, but you have to ask your maid for that. The beach was beautiful, the resort got their stars rating because of the beach! Way too long of a bus ride from the Airport. 1.45minutes. Both flights there and back on time. overall I would rate this resort a 3 stars!

Lively resort!

Starfish is a very nice resort which, with some small improvements, would deserve its 4 star rating. The public areas and grounds are attractive and clean, with the exception of the beach washrooms. Rooms are spacious and clean but mine was lacking soap bars and a coffee machine. (No coffee is provided for the machines; you have to buy it for $8 pesos.)Staff are hard working and helpful though limited in their English. Music is everywhere. The volume could be cranked down a little; wished I had  [... read more]ear plugs. Enjoyed the lobby bands. Talented dancers at the nightly shows, but the pool/beach game awards presented before the shows were a bore and would be better done elsewhere, on site or perhaps at the buffet. Food plentiful and varied but bland & it was tricky to locate salt and pepper. Some people brought their own spices, a good idea. The wine was atrocious; I'm not that fussy but I draw the line at drinking something that tastes like turpentine. (Exception: the Italian restaurant, highly recommended.) A final suggestion: more practical information at the orientation, and a written guide in rooms with such info as the location of specialty restaurants.

Incredible Beach!!!

My 19 year old son and I stayed at the Starfish hotel in Cayo Santa Maria last week. After switching rooms, our stay was amazing! The beach is breathtaking but make sure you are up super early to get a seat under the cabana. The food is fine-it's Cuba but there is always something to eat. Evening entertainment is good for the most part but take time to go down to the beach to look at the stars. It's quite a sight on a clear night.

Fantastic Trip!

Overall the trip was fantastic! Resort was very nice and very well taken care of. Staff were friendly and tried very hard to please everyone, and keep everyone entertained and having a fun time! Buffet was great once we figured out that we had to get the guys at the grill to cook us up what we wanted. They were great and would pretty much make anything the way we wanted it! Beach was absolutely beautiful, kept nice and clean. Areas where you could lay and relax in quiet and also areas where the  [... read more]entertainment team had music pumping keeping everyone entertained. Our room was very clean, and we always has fresh towels. Housekeeping would even move the bed to wash floors etc.

Amazing resort!

Even though the resort was really big and we walked everywhere, we loved it. The resort was well taken care of. The 2 alacarts that we went to were very good. Beach was so beautiful. Pools were huge. Food was good at the buffet. No complaints here:)

Nice area

Beautiful area, friendly staff. The only complaint is you should not advertise coffee maker in room if they do not provide coffee. Its misleading. Simple little things like that go along way. I would give this resort a 3 1/2 star not 4 or 41/2 like you advertise. Also only water provided. No juice, pop or beer in your room.

Great resort

everything good but no towels.pictures do not do the beach justice.note out to smokers beach is not your personal ashtray.staff friendly.grounds nice.clean resort.it is very large bring your walking shoes.i would recommend thjs resort