Worst trip to Cuba in 30 years

Resort The resort is small, so walking from one place to another is easy. Our room was tiny, as in there was just enough space for a queen size bed and two small night tables. The staff were very accommodating however. Food We never go to Cuba expecting great food. That is simply just not part of the experience. However, on this visit the food was God awful and for the most part inedible. We were warned before hand that there were food shortages on the island, but we did not believe it was a [... read more]s bad as we were told. It was worse. For the first few days we simply ordered hamburgers (not so sure of the composition) from one of the snack bars. After three days we were told that they had run out of these, leaving us with nothing more than grilled cheese sandwiches. There was only one meal at the sole a la carte restaurant available during our stay. Pool When we arrived, the pool looked like a swamp. There was algae on the walls and the floor of the pool. On our third day the pool was closed due to bacteria. The next day the pool was shocked with what smelled like chlorine. That smell was pervasive for remainder of our trip. Since we wanted to keep our skin, we did not go in. Not having the use of the pool at a resort on a vacation is unforgiveable and a fundamental breach of contract with the vacation provider. Beach The beach was shorter than expected and the shore had more of a slope than we were used to. Some days had an accumulation of seaweed that was not cleared away. All of this is to say that Sunwing should be ashamed of itself for marketing a vacation package that they could not deliver upon. We love Cuba and have lost count of the number of times we have gone there for our vacations. We will certainly think twice about this in the future.

Not for everyone

Returned from the Starfish on May 13th 2023. This resort is not for everyone. This was our second visit and we went because the weather at home was not great and the price was right (650 cad per person). PROS. the weather was great..nice pool. Quiet because there is only about 20% capacity. Playa Sirena is still amazing. CONS The beach at the hotel is minimal having eroded away and this time there was lots of seaweed. The hotel (and I assume the island) is suffering from shortages of ev [... read more]erything so the food was not good (we don't expect a lot in cuba for 650.. but it was Not good). They run out of wine and liquor. The staff did not seem nearly as friendly as they did on our last trip in January. We were ready to come after about 5 days. It is a unique environment and if you are prepared for a Gilligans Island experience..Go for it.

Wonderful Resort with exceptional employees

Second time at this wonderful resort. Still a very special place with the greatest and proud workers I've ever met and makes me ashamed by what we as privileged Canadians take for granted, especially after our government workers strike and settlement. Greed is a word that these special workers know nothing about. Very hard workers at all levels trying their best at all times to do whatever they can to make your vacation work for you. Tips are greatly appreciated but are not demanded as at many o [... read more]ther resorts. Had a real blast with renting an ATV for 2 days. Think of travelling on the same island as past pirates and explorers and how fortunate in this day and age doing it on an ATV. A very special thanks to Monica for arranging the rental, with Maykel and Juan Carlos helping out and taking care of all our needs. Also thank Harold, our young butler (a nice extra) for his help and knowledge making thing easy during our stay. Thanks to Reynaldo at the buffet for taking care of our needs when dining. Never can claim starvation at this resort as there was a wide variety of food at all sittings although if you want steaks you might as well stay home. Remember that for the price and benefits, this resort can even surpass 5 star resorts in other countries for what it has to offer. We go especially for the people, beaches and weather and these can't all be met by most resorts. Thanks to Roger and his crew for arranging the special dinner for return clients. Much appreciated. Also a thank you to the Lobby Bar servers for their prompt and friendly service. We thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment of enthusiastic dancers, band and singers and with Larisa as MC under difficult circumstances. Thanks to Larisa for leading the children's entertainment segment and how she communicates and gets the children involved. Can only imagine the dynamics involved once their theatre area is completed. At home, still enjoy watching and listening to the music and dance routines we recorded. One note on security. I lost my key and had it replaced at the lobby without difficulty. The next day upon entering our room, the key was on the desk by the TV. Olivia (our maid) had found it between the double beds in our room. She could have easily kept it and taken whatever she wanted but showed how honest these workers do their job something other resorts have a hard time dealing with. A special thanks to the hard working gardeners doing their job in the heat, etc. beautifying the landscape of the resort always greeting with a smile and an "hola" and willing to share their tips and knowledge. Also met an Italian couple at the beach and without knowing each others languages, maintained a conversation for more than half an hour with similar work experiences, etc. A big thanks to Cornelio and Rene for their help in baggage handling and Cornelio's fishing prowess. A plus on their driving skills around the resort. Lastly, a special thanks for Alfredo and the Starfish lobby crew including the lobby bar servers for their diligence and professionalism in making our stay special and memorable. Would recommend this resort to anyone willing to learn the people, culture and enjoy the ambiance of the resort. Don't be shy and use whatever means to communicate with the employees as well as with clients. You'll find a thrilling and memorable vacation as never before. Will no doubt return as this resort and its employees have become a part of our family and wish all of them the best.

Absolutely wonderful

We stayed in block 49 April 14-21. Our view was amazing the butler was the best.it was our anniversary and he se our room up with flowers, some decorations and champagne . The food at the resort was delicious all the staff were great to deal with. The pool was gorgeous everyday.

Starfish

Been here several times. Ã’verall good. Maybe need a bench by the showers when you come from the beach.you can then sit and dry off.Many workers have been there several years. Good to see after covid.

All-inclusive affordable resort with great nature.

We just came from the Starfish Hotel with Sunwing airline from Ottawa. We stayed for one week where everything was good: service, hotel except no cheese and no papaya and no white wine :( Walk from Starfish to Sirena beach was amazing!

A LITTLE BIT OF PARADISE

IT MET ALL OF OUR NEEDS AND MORE. THE POOLS WERE VERY LARGE WITH THE BAR CONVENIENTLY LOCATED BESIDE IT. OUR ROOM WAS ON THE LOWER LEVEL AND FACED THE BEACH SO WE COULD HEAR THE WAVES ROLLING IN. IT WAS CLEAN THROUGHOUT THE RESORT AND THE SERVICE WAS EXCELLENT. THE ADDITION OF A PERSONAL BUTLER SIMPLIFIED THINGS FOR US. GREAT WEATHER WAS THE ICING ON THE CAKE

Awesome resort

What I like the most about the hotel and resort was the service and entertainment that everyone gave us. I wanted to thank everyone for their services they where a great team. I miss everyone I have met and enjoy their company .I can’t wait to come back an enjoy another few weeks with everyone again and I hope it will be the same people we met .

Great time as usual in Cuba

Wonderful time, the staff is lovely. They take Canadian coins for tips. The sea was beautiful at the hotel for the 2 days but mostly rough- then everybody took a taxi to Sirena, the train ride there is a bit bumpy. Nothing special about COVID protocol, nobody thinks about it. The ocean view room was the best I had in Cuba- no musty smell at all. Those rooms seem to be renovated. The best cleaning lady I ever had. It is my 18 th time to Cuba, second to Cayo Largo. They ask a proof of vaccination [... read more]s at the airport, but not at every flight. Food is Ok, I missed cottage cheese and ice cream.

Beautiful

We stayed at this resort for a week...and the beaches and water are stunning...The beach at the hotel has been eroded but there is still plenty of room for your chair and umbrella...The beach guys were always helpful setting up...they do work hard. The hotel is not a 5 star but we found no issues at all with the room...it was basic but we were not there to spend time in the room...Gardens were well maintained and always a smile from everyone who worked doing this... The hotel staff was AMAZING. [... read more]..we have been to more than a few islands and this resort was stellar for their staffing...everyone seemed happy and engaged in wanting to make our experience a good one..The food was OK nothing special but would be nice to have fries and ketchup..The pizza was terrific but could have used a bit of shade while eating there...Overall we would go back again...it is worth the trip...

Amazing experience and beach

I didn’t expect much from this trip at first, but it had to be one of my favourite trips. I needed rest and figured I’d take a last minute vacay. The staff was my fav part. The beach was a 10/10. The staff made my experience feel safe, I felt taken care of, they always were on-top of every inquiry made. I am def visiting again.

Great time amazing staff

At first introduced with hospitality and kindness. Many staff members went out of their way to assist or answer questions. The guests had a great sense of humour. I will be back. Mike. Aka. Miguel

Now called the Starfish resort - by Sunwing

This was my first trip to Cuba. I didn't even know that the island of Cayo Largo existed until I discovered this resort through a "last Minute" website. I wanted to escape work, computers, cell phones and the city for a while and just sit on a beach. This is exactly what Starfish offered. The entire island has been closed down for almost 3 years following a Hurricane and then of course Covid-19. It is obvious that the owners have invested a lot of money on the property. Most of the resort is sti [... read more]ll closed as they continue to repair, repaint, renovate and refresh the property. I had a very nice room, (a little small, but I didn't got there to stay in my room). There was a problem with hot water for the first few days as they were still struggling with their reopening plan, but it was fixed and there was always lots of hot water after that. I had been warned that Cuba is not know for their food, but I was pleasantly surprised at the selection at the buffets and the food was tasty. I had no complaints. The beaches on the island are beautiful, however, there are some areas where the beach has been washed away, (but not the Starfish Beach). All of the staff were friendly and helpful, (even the construction workers. All in all, it was an excellent trip and I was very happy. HOWEVER, there were a few things that could be better. 1) The wi-fi service is terrible! I had to go to the front desk every day to get my log-in credentials reset. You had to re-sign into the network several times each day, sometimes, every hour. Very frustrating. 2) The main dining room acoustics are terrible. It was very noisy at meal times and was difficult to have a quiet conversation due to the noise. They need to install acoustic baffles or fabric to absorb the noise. 3) It would be nice if they put signs up over the food selections so that you knew what you were eating.

Great beaches but sad resort

I could not really tell who rand this resort..key fob said Ibeorstar the sign said Grand Caribe and some things had Sol on them. Who ever has the management of this one needs help. We were there for two weeks and had no white wine for most of it. No beer a lot of the time.This is the first time we have been asked to pay for the safety deposit box. The draws in or closet were eaten by ants so that only the top drawer worked.The celling in the bathroom was collapsing. I do not go to Cuba with grea [... read more]t expectations on food;but the buffet was the same everyday for all three meals. We ate at the beach ; and PLEASE buy a second toaster; waiting 15 min for a piece of warm bread is not right.

Beautiful white sandy beach

Beautiful beach, food's okay, rooms are pretty good, staff is friendly. Very short if any wait for bar service. Looks a little rundown due to sparce grass on green areas. Airport is very handy and was in hotel 1/2 hour after disembarking. Designated full nudity beaches. No bicycle rentals but Quad rental is quite reasonable.

Great all inclusive resort - Cayo Largo is a special place

The Hotel Pelicano seems to have recently been taken over by the Melia chain which may be a good thing as it is next door to one of their other hotels (Sol) which is also more expensive. Anyway the staff are wonderful, friendly and helpful to assist with everything. Unfortunately Cuba seems to be suffering from the US embargoes and tourism is down. This means that there aren't as many guests in the Cayo Largo hotels and sometimes there were food deficiencies but the beaches are still won [... read more]derful and with fewer guests lots of space on the sand. We will definitely be back. This was my third time to Cayo Largo and would definitely love to come back. I should also mention that unlike most places in Cuba there are clothing optional beaches here but they are inoffensive and mostly away from the main public areas.

Amazing vacation

This is our second time at this resort and we are so happy we chose it again. Everything was great: long beach and so beautiful, hotel grounds and rooms kept clean, meals: many choices. All staff was working hard to make everyone’s vacation the best experience. Thank you Sol Pelicano, we had an amazing week.

You get what you pay for

Our room was clean but dated and needed some repairs. The grounds are clean.... nothing spectacular. The beach at hotel pelicano was one of the only beaches on the island where you could actually lounge on. The ocean was to rough to actually swim in while we were there. There was only fanta and coke available for drink mix all week. Unfortunately we don't drink either so we really didn't get to enjoy to many drinks. As well no red wine for dinner service all week. The snack bar didn't have [... read more] fries until the last 3 days of our trip. The buffet was pretty much the same every day with a few exceptions. Canned fruit most days with very little fresh fruit. The power went out a couple of times during the week. No water one day for about 8 hours. We got a great deal on the vacation and would've been really disappointed if we had paid full price.

Beautiful Location, Great Staff, Great Food!

My wife and I returned to 'Pelicano' April 2019 after a 4 year absence. trips to Cuba 17-18 over last 8 years With many fond memories of the hotel and the beauty of Cayo Largo we were excited to come back to a resort that somehow, instantly feels like home. Less that 10 minutes from airport!! Many of the rooms are updated inside and out, the beds and pillows were comfortable. The housekeeping staff are simply outstanding. That can be said for ALL staff as they put in many hours and are on the is [... read more]land for 20 days on and 10 days off. Many will double shift, to help others, some will perform double duties, but all are only concerned with your satisfaction and happiness. The beach is gorgeous,( some of the best in the world on that little island) the sand is powder like, and like many in the Caribbean will have some days with seaweed coming ashore, the staff work tirelessly to try to keep ahead of it but they are fighting Mother Nature and we know who wins! The beach at Pelicano has not suffered as much erosion as some of the other resorts but they natural small bays for water access mostly free of seaweed. The food is much improved and consistent, in fact was some of the best I have had anywhere in Cuba for taste, and presentation. The Rancheon beach bar is a favorite for lunch for fresh grilled meats and seafood, get there early to enjoy. Remember you are on an island so food assortment may be limited. So think about how you want to eat at each meal. You do not need to stack your plate with EVERY item on the board. I could not find any food I had any issue with. Buffet and "Carte's' were outstanding. Service was above expectations and indeed a nice surprise. Please take some time and visit the Marina and take in the Turtle Sanctuary ( please Donate and\or bring turtle food from home ) and the Cigar Museum, cap this little tour with a cold one and small pizza at the little cantina. Meet the staff of the hotels here on Wednesday nights for some music, dancing, etc. A great Natural location. Yes... Natural, nudity is acceptable so get over yourself before you go... After the first 10 minutes you will have acclimatized and will just enjoy ALL of this islands scenery. We will be back soon!!! Thanks to all staff and management for an outstanding vacation.

Fantastic beach

Another great vacation at Pelicano. Our room was on the second floor as requested with king bed; the maid service was good, our room was kept very clean and we had plenty of fresh towels. We had hot water consistently. Food was good, selection sometimes limited. The only downside was the lack of adequate palapas on the beach which causes issues. The beach is why we go but when there are not enough palapas it's a problem