Resonance Blu Santa Maria: A good time was had by all !

The weather was fantastic and the beach was THE most beautiful beach I've ever seen. Lots of chairs available although shade was at a minimum. The food at the resort was lacking selection the first day or two, but by the end of the week there were lots of tasty options and we couldn't get enough. Popular food items that Canadians enjoy (bacon, french fries, pineapple, etc) tend to go quickly so get to the buffet early. Most staff were friendly and helpful. Its a good idea to practice a few Spani [... read more]sh phrases or watch a little Dora the Explorer before you go. The pool was huge and clean, the grounds were well maintained, we had hot water every single day and the AC worked so good in our room we even had to turn it off a few times. If the price was right, I'd definitely go back to this resort !

Playa Pesquero: Needs a Overall Facelift..

Hotel was nice nothing special, badly needs a face lift in many areas, walkways throughout the complex are very old and in need of upgrading , Pool area also needs new cement work around pool. No activities around Pool area no inter- action with guests at all.. other than bingo. No music around Pool or Beach area while we where there only when doing Aerobics which they did not try to entice guests to participate in. although the food was not too bad, you always find something to eat, buffet was  [... read more]good although gets tiring having pork all the time need to have more seafood on menus. The bar service was the best.. Danielle, Karel and Alexander were the greatest.. these guys made our stay there enjoyable considering the bad weather when we arrived they all helped lift our spirits throughout our stay. George and Paulo on the beach also helped with the great rides on the Catamaran rides George is the go to guy if you want to go fishing off a Catamaran, cheaper than the hotel prices...The Beer Market and Mojito Bar where our Favs, great drinks and great food at both places.. Beach area was very rocky and filled with garbage, cups, straws, beer cans, seaweed, and only one bar on the beach, had to walk too far to get a drink not enough staff on beach to serve you. Beach area was very slim from waters edge to end of sand to tree line , not large enough to accommodate the numbers of guests, felt squeezed all together... rocks all over the beach in sand and in the waters edge as you walked into the water.. very sharp and dangerous.. Not what we were expecting especially after the great time we had last year in Santa Maria...would never go back here...they need a Major upgrade, old and outdated...

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Great Trip!

We wend to Starfish Cayo Santa Maria. We had an amazing experience, the bus was waiting for us at the airport, the resort was exactly as it looked on the advertisement. Weather was amazing, and service was good at the hotel. I expected a better food variety. Other than the food the experience and the service was amazing!

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Overall Great Resort

Rooms, pool, dining areas and grounds were very clean and maintained. The daily entertainment was fun and the staff were very friendly and accommodating. Good mix of all ages staying as well, would recommend.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Beautiful resort. Amazing beach. Great pool.

The hotel however was rated as a 4 and it's a 3 at best. The washrooms in the common areas (near the buffet and in the lobby) were almost all out of order and we had to go back to our room to go to the bathroom. The food is average. There are not many activities during the day. I was disappointed that there was no aqua fitness.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Wouldn't go back

This is the only resort in all our years of travelling that we won't be going to again. We have been to Cuba numerous times so we know what to expect. Food was blander than usual and overly repetitive at every meal....and hot stuff was far from hot...lukewarm at best. Our room was clean and everything worked well. The public bathrooms were terrible...rarely cleaned and never seemed to be fixed. Someone has posted since that the old manager has returned and things will get better which is good as [... read more] this could be a fantastic resort if food and washrooms were taken care of.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Beautiful Resort: Lacking in amenities

My husband and myself decided on a 3 night/4 day getaway Feb 6 - 9th preceding a week booked at the end of Feb with family and friends. To be sure, the travel time was lengthy especially with the 1.5 hr transfer from the airport to the resort. We knew this ahead of time and decided to go given a very reasonable price point. Pros: The resort itself was quite beautiful; pool, gardens, pathways, and especially the beach itself. White flour sand and very turquoise crystal clear seas not unlike the  [... read more]Bahamas. Our room was ocean view, king bed and very clean. We requested the room placement and bed size with Trip Central rep and got it which was great. Our rep is Karl Charesa who is very good and we have always used him for all of our group vacations every year (6 years) to Cuba. Poolside entertainment was very good which we caught at end of beach day around 4-5:00. Music, rock band, acrobatic bicycle rider (quite good) and, of course, typical dance lessons. (Word of note: not a good snorkeling beach if you are considering bringing your gear.) Cons: Very slow drains in the bathroom (like all night for the tub to drain after a shower) and vanity sink. Very dim lighting in bathroom area. Only food available was ham & cheese sandwiches and "interesting" hotdogs (Cuban style) at the pool and beach grills. The buffet was really disappointing and keeping in mind we know and accept Cuban fare as we have been many times to different resorts, just not comparable at all and we are not picky eaters. We don't go for gourmet but seriously, this wasn't good. The 24 hour snack bar advertised is NOT 24 hours, no french fries or pizzas. Functioning bathrooms were rare, 1 open in the lobby out of 6 (for the women's anyway), no working bathroom at the pool for the guys. One bathroom at the beach, usually a line up. We didn't attend any nighttime entertainment, usually after dinner drink and socializing in the lobby so cannot attest to that. The bus ride to and from resort was just too long. We are used to Holguin/Cayo Coco resorts where it is less than half the time. Santa Clara airport was a complete dump (again, who really cares) but just leant to travel woes with amount of time spent in it.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: It was okay, but we won't be back!

After an approx 2hr transfer from the airport to the hotel - which I do not recommend if travelling with young children... no bathrooms on the bus, and even kids who don't get motion sickness may vomit due to the style of roads and driving in Cuba (ask me how I know!) - here's what I noticed about the resort: - Many of the toilets in the public washrooms either had no toilet seats or were out of order. - The staff, although pleasant, seemed overworked and it was often tough to find a cleared ta [... read more]ble to sit and eat at during the buffet hours. - We often observed lineups outside the building to get into the buffet at peak dinner hour, and lineups for food at the snack bar during lunchtime. Meal times were an absolute feeding frenzy with everybody looking out for themselves and cutting in line (for the fries especially). - Food choice was somewhat limited, unless you were willing to line up for the stations serving omelettes, chicken, fish, or pasta. A lot of "mystery meat" floating in sauce, and the same kind of cake (tasted almost like cornbread) just with different "icing" at the dessert table. Many of the fresh fruits were also unrecognizable. - The pools were lovely (albeit cold). - The beach was gorgeous (although we weren't able to enjoy it due to the cooler weather, so don't fall into the same trap we did and pick a resort based solely on its amazing beach!) - The grounds were very well-kept by friendly groundskeepers. - Our room was clean and tidy (the resort staff even provided an extra bed for my 3yr old daughter which was unexpected but appreciated) - The bars were good and the wait to be served was typically quite short (not the case with the swim-up bar though). - Still not sure about using the tap water even for brushing teeth, as I had an upset stomach every single day of my stay although I can't trace it back to anything specific (I seemed to be the only one in my group who suffered from this, though). - The daily lobby entertainment was enjoyable and what I would imagine to be typically "Cuban". All in all it wasn't the worst resort we've stayed at but it wasn't the greatest either. I wouldn't recommend it only because of the state of the washrooms (imagine running back to your room any time you needed the toilet!), the feeding frenzies at the buffet, and the miserable drive to and from the resort (which we did in the dark, both times). As I'm a traveller with young kids, I'll stick to Cayo Coco next time (bless it's 20 min transfer!). Hope this helps someone, I've tried to be as objective as possible in my review!

Playa Pesquero: Wonderful family trip

- very polite staff - Very clean rooms - Great food - Nice beach - Good restaurants - Clean grounds - Lots of entertainment for kids - Many food options - Would recommend to friends and family - Would definitely come back

Playa Pesquero: Had a Wonderful Time!

The resort was beautiful, the ocean was magnificent. The people were extremely friendly. Nightly entertainment was a lot of fun. Dancing under the stars was awesome! Italian a la Carte was delicious .

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Not a 4*...perfect 3* !!!

Just returned....2 weeks...totally wonderful...BUT.. NOT AS A 4 1/2* as advertised !!! It is a 3 1/2 with huge potential for being a 3 1/2*. Negative points first....lighting in room so bad you cannot even apply make up. Towels almost NEVER changed...even if you leav hie them in a wet lump on the floor...they are refolded. Bed not changed often (if at all). Many lights on fixtures and in chandeliers burned out...all small things that they are presently working on changing. Now....Positive points [... read more]....beautiful well kept grounds, nice big (90%) clean rooms, fabulous staff, continuous entertainment all day (poolside fun, nightly entertainment. Different groups in restaurants, lobby's, bars) food...typical Cuban. Beach is the most beautiful we have ever seen...sand is white and soft like floyr. Water is unbelievably crystal clear and turquoise. Soooooo...if you want a fabulous vacation and can overlook the small things and expect a 31/2....Starfish is PERFECT. If you want perfection and 4 1/2*....wait till they bring it up to that standard.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Beautiful beaches and people

The white sand beaches were breathtaking and immaculate. Every staff member was beyond friendly and helpful. The nightly shows at the theatre were extremely entertaining and if you're looking for the perfect drink ask for Robin..his friendly service was top notch.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Wonderful Once Again!!

This was my 3rd time to Starfish Cayo Santa Maria and it was still great. It is on the nicest stretch of beach on Santa Maria. The rooms are basic but very clean and really how much time does one spend in their room?! The pool is beautiful and like i said the beach is like no other. The buffet could stand to be a little more organized but there is a good selection of food. The waiters are always smiling and wanting to please you. They work very long days. The lobby and lobby bar is a great place [... read more] to enjoy a specialty coffee and live music before the show. I highly recommend the Brazilian coffee!! The entertainment at the theatre shows is some of the best i have seen and even after being there 3 times and the shows being the same, it is still enjoyable. The a la carte restaurants are all good and nice change from the buffet. Bartenders are very happy and make some delicious drinks, and even remembered me which was nice! The only thing i feel needs some attention is the public washroom area. Many of the stalls were not working and most were missing toilet seats, however that is a common occurrence throughout Cuba. Overall despite the age of this resort, it was very clean and workers always making improvements. I won't hesitate to return!!

Playa Pesquero: Fabulous resort!

The lobby area is nice with comfortable furniture to sit and relax. The servants bring drinks, coffee and snacks. There are 3restaurants linked one to another so you are not exposed to a sun if you want to have a lunch in one or another restaurant. The variety of food is amazing, and everything is delicious. We had 4 suppers in the romantic restaurants (have to be booked in advanced) where we ordered lobsters. The room was large and modern. Fortunately there were not mosquitos. They have a car s [... read more]preading something in the air on alleys in the late evening, so no insects those I afraid the most to have in Cuba. Every evening we had a professionally directed performances. I definitely will go to that resort again. My first trip to Cuba met my expectations and dissolved my fires.

Playa Pesquero: Beautiful Resort

Playa Pesquero is a big beautiful resort that is very well kept and run by the friendly and kind Cuban people. The gardeners are working everyday to keep the resort looking nice. Its is a larger resort that requires guests to walk if the golf carts are not available. The rooms are clean and well kept by the chambermaids through the week. They also have a drink service where they keep your fridge stocked of beer and water, which is very nice to have. The breakfast buffet had a wide variety of foo [... read more]ds to choose from. The a la carts were good as well and had a variety of dinner choices. All restaurant servers went over and above to give us a great dining experience. There was always an evening show which we took in and enjoyed. We had a great week and plan to go back with the family in the future. And yes we would recommend this resort to friends!!

Playa Pesquero: Playa Pesquero has room for improvement

Pros: - Beautiful grounds - Excellent food - Beautiful beach - Lovely touches such as fresh juice/water and cookies in the lobby area all day long. Cons: - Very large resort. While there are golf carts driving around periodically, they failed to show up at our room on numerous occasions which forced some of the older individuals in our group to walk far distances to some a la carte restaurants - One of our towels was stolen while we were in the water at the beach and the front desk said that we [... read more] would have to pay 15 CUC to make up for it even though it was not our fault. We felt that this was not fair and put a damper on our trip. - The currency exchange center was unable to provide single pesos (we tried several days/times). The lowest denomination was 3 pesos which was a little frustrating. We felt like this was a sneaky way of increasing the staff tip amounts. - Lack of entertainment. To clarify, while the shows in the evening were excellent, we felt as though the animation staff didn't make an effort to engage the guests during the day. There was no engagement at the pool (no aqua fit in the pool....no silly games....very strange to me). Also, when it was raining one day, all the guests gathered in the lobby and/or stage area and there was no music/etc to keep us entertained. A small effort would've gone a long way on this particular day.

Playa Pesquero: Beautiful!

It was our first trip and we couldn't be happier. The lobby is all open and airy. The grounds are easy to walk from one end to the other and easy to find your way around. The food was surprisingly good. The beach was incredible! The staff was wonderful - so friendly and helpful. We cannot wait to go back!!

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Best Cuba has to offer.

I found this hotel and grounds to be the best I have seen in after 7 weeks In Cuban resorts since 2013.The beach and swimming are the best. Powdery sand, Azure blue water, stunning location. Food was really Good for Cuba, with a great selection of fresh seafood,fountain of fresh orange juice in the grill was. Never empty and the bread was fresh baked on site. Junior suite was better than expected with table rattan sofa, balcony And new flat screen with 40 channels in all languages.Staff was a re [... read more]al reflection of the character of the Cuban people,very serious about their jobs and really warm and welcoming, way above average.Entertainment was world class, best 4 piece jazz band I have ever seen in lobby one night, Took a request to play Coltrrane and really did a fine job of it, lots of entertainment for those who need entertaining but the big attraction is the Beach if you are bucket listing a trip to paradise I would suggest the Starfish.Hasta Luego Amigos!

Playa Pesquero: Fantasic trip

We loved the staff. Rooms were clean, food was good, beach was narrow but beautiful to swim in. Tons of places to snorkel feet awat from the beach. We were there with our 2 boys, ages 10 and 13 and they loved it. Sports room was awesome. We had no so nice weather so we were blessed to have the kids be entertained with ping pong, billards and many other activities. Tons of families. Pool was awesome.  Property was very big and spread out.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: Worst resort we have ever visited

We have travelled to Cuba many times and love it. This resort really changed our view. The welcome was probably the best thing from our entire stay. To start, this is an all inclusive resort, but your room fridge only comes with a bottle of water. If you want it stocked with anything else, you have to pay. Mold is common in warm countries, but our room curtains need replacement. Beds were nicely made with characters but our linens were never changed our entire stay. Our towels were not exchange [... read more]d unless we soaked them wet with the water that spilled onto the floor from the shower. The shower when warm- we had no hot water for 3 days- the tap fell off when we started our shower. We did find cockroaches. Pool towels was hit and miss. Some days you could get fresh ones, other days you couldn't. The pool: Was pretty and freezing. You don't need to apply sunscreen. When you dive into the pool you are covered by sunscreen. There was plenty of it in the pool. Was cleaned around the pool. Someone constantly picking up garbage. No one walking around to give you drinks. Pool chairs full of mold. Food. Lots of it. Chicken was good. Omelettes were good, but 7 days of the same food every day, all day!! Be careful eating fish - bones are in! Service. Ha! What service?? They are so disorganized! No one seated you. When you did find a table, good luck getting it cleared and someone staying long enough to get you a cup of anything! I asked 3 people for a cup of coffee and never got it. We waited 20 min before I complained to management who did nothing about it! If you are a large group, don't attempt putting tables together. We got yelled at that we couldn't do that!! Rude staff and no one who cared to serve you. For my husbands birthday we requested a piece of cake. Told they would gather staff and being something out and sing to him. We waited for over half an hour. When I questioned someone they went to the kirchen who told them they didn't know anything about it (we arranged it when we arrived in the dining room half hour prior) and would send something out. We got a cake. No singing, no candle, not even a happy birthday from the person dropping it off. Beach was clean but not fully. The walkway to the beach had broken side rails. Lots of bugs. So bring lots of bug spray. Overall this resort was rated a 4. Even in Cuban stars I wouldn't rate it a 4. More like a 2.5-3 Cuban stars. Disappointed that this cost us as much as it did.