Resonance Blu Santa Maria: 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!!

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: 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.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: 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!

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: 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.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: 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..

Playa Pesquero: Very enjoyable famly oriented resort!

My wife, little-one, and I stayed a PP resort for 7 days during March break 2015. The first impression of the hotel lobby is spectacular. This is a HUGE resort. It has 1000 rooms. The highlights for me were the lobby bar, which is pretty happening at all times of the day, but especially after dinner. The entertainment shows were very good, and they have earlier shows for children as well. Another highlight was the beach. Crystal clear and perfect turquoise water. A bit chilly in March, but very  [... read more]very enjoyable. Lots of shade also. Rooms were clean, big and well air conditioned. Food was very good for Cuban standards. We all enjoyed their desert menu the most. The resort is a bit pricey, but if you're looking for a very relaxing vacation in a beautiful resort with awesome beaches and pool, then look no further. PP is that resort. Go and Enjoy!

Playa Pesquero: Play Pesquero Exceeded Expectations

My wife and I have been to Cuba have a dozen times and this was the first time in Holguin. On par with the best hotels in Cuba for food. This is the best hotel in Holguin, with others somewhat lacking their own beach.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: 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

Playa Pesquero: Great staff, beautiful beach, fantastic time!

We want down for a family vacation including both sets of grandparents and everyone enjoyed themselves. Staff is very friendly and goes out of their way to make you feel welcome. Will definitely go back!

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: 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.................................................................................................

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: 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!

Playa Pesquero: Upgrading is a must

Our first room was a 3 star or less as it was musty smelling and smelt like sewage in the morning. The ground were nice, pools beautiful and the beach amazing. Once we upgraded to the other side which was called Prima Playa Pesquero that blew our minds on how beautiful it was and the rooms absolutely amazing with private butler. The service of the staff was also amazing we were treated like royalty. We will go back for sure next year at Prima Playa Pesquero.

Playa Pesquero: New management hinders service!

We returned to this resort after the most amazing holiday last March break. We were so impressed with the service from the staff, the maintenance of the resort and the overall lush feel. We returned expecting a similar experience, however were very disappointed with the new management that has recently taken over. They seem to be more interested in making money and cutting back vs. maintaining a level of service to keep returning guests satisfied. The new policies that have been put in place are [... read more] not family friendly. As a family we will look elsewhere for our next vacation considering the lack of customer service we were extended during our recent visit to Playa Pesquero. The service from management and staff had taken a huge hit! Unfortunetly all of the extra luxuries that once were generously offered, now come at an inflated price. When chatting with other guests, the feeling was mutual.

Playa Pesquero: Everything We Wanted!!

On our first trip to Cuba we could not have had a better resort. The staff were friendly and helpful. Our room, while a little dated, was clean and the water was HOT. The resort itself is very large and beautiful - extremely well-kept. The pools are uniquely designed and centrally located. The beach is white sand, warm water - what more could you desire. You do have to walk a lot though. Meals at Playa Pesqero were very good - the a la carte at Seafood Restaurant - was excellent ( staff were e [... read more]xtraordinary ). We actually found the buffet for lunch and dinner to be comparable to other a la carte offerings. We enjoyed the coffee station ( old train car) in the lobby with its myriad of available coffee and tea options. Overall, Playa Pesquero resort was as advertised - it was an extremely enjoyable vacation that I wish I had extended to 2 weeks instead of 1 week. We are planning to return next year!!

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: 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.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: 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.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: 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.

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: 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:)

Resonance Blu Santa Maria: 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.

Playa Pesquero: Great trip.

This resort was big but very nice. The lobby had a great bar and great coffee station!! The room was excellent..no complaints at all, although we met a couple that said they had to move rooms twice...no hot water and musty, but we never had an issue!! We stayed in bldg 40. The food was the usual fare for Cuba, not great but not bad either, could always find something to eat. Limited fresh fruit and veggies. The beach was amazing!! Not very deep but long and beautiful and the water...oh my God!!! [... read more] Amazing blue colours!!! Never went to the pool(why would you when you have the beach with bars and food)but it looked very nice and kinda cool the way it was laid out.!! The entertainment was okay, we only went to 2 shows, spent most of the evenings at the mojito bar(great mojito's). They had a rock band Sat. night that was awesome...danced a lot. We were hoping for more nights like this!!! That would be my suggestion for the entertainment...more dancing nights at the mojito bar. The disco smelled really musty so we only went in our last night because we really wanted to dance and the mojito bar closes at 11:-( So if you are looking for a raucous place to party this may not be the place, but we had a blast because we met some great people and partied with them! The staff were friendly for the most part, although at times it seemed you got better service if you tipped, which we did in abundance(hey we have it good in Canada)!! The people with men in their parties seemed to get better service...I was with my sister and sometimes it seemed we got better service when we were with male friends we met there. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't really bad, just an observation. We brought tons of gifts for the maids and wait staff and they seemed very appreciative. A couple of times I left some of my things on the table and they came running after me to give it to me. The last day I left my camera on the lobby bar stool for about 2 hrs and when I realized where I had left it, I went to the bar and sure enough they had taken it to the front desk...so honest!! That really says a lot to me...I'm sure I would have seen it again anywhere else in the Caribbean!! So thank-you very much guys!!! We did not do any excursions, so can't speak to that. I would definitely recommend this place and would go back again. The only reason for the 4 star is the food, I love fresh fruit and veggies and could have used more variety...but I did not starve!!!