Starfish Las Palmas

Honest review, January 2026. The beach is the only reason I’d come here. We asked for an ocean- or pool-view room and ended up across the street, in a second hotel Sunwing apparently hadn’t told us about. Our box springs and lamps had black mold, and the shower was covered in it. There was no bathroom fan, so it just kept growing. We had to plead with the maids for fresh towels and never got any, so we took some ourselves. Everyone seemed to expect a tip every time, despite how much the stay cost. At the hotel across the street, two or three security guys kept asking my friend if she “wanted to make change.” It made us both uncomfortable walking back to our room alone, especially without a man with us. As young women, we felt watched and like we’d be asked to make money the whole time. That ruined the trip, even though we knew not to expect too much from Cuba. At checkout, reception watched us fill out the stay survey to make sure we gave five stars.

The location was the highlight: right in downtown Varadero, near plenty of discos and clubs, and the beach is nice too. But this is nowhere near a three-star resort. It felt more like a one-star hostel, and there are better hotels nearby for the same price. We’ve visited Cuba several times and understand the challenges, but this was ridiculous. My wife became seriously ill after eating at their Cuban BBQ, and many other guests did too. Quite a few people reportedly got salmonella poisoning. We stayed Dec. 23-30. The rooms smelled awful, had mold in the bathrooms and cockroaches, and looked nothing like the photos. Maids reused the sheets and towels instead of changing them. Staff were rude, and we had to beg for water bottles and toilet paper. Fortunately, there’s a store across the street. Gardeners also kept pestering us to bring them beer and cigarettes. The best part of the vacation was flying home. I’d also double-check the five-star reviews, since some appear to come from fake profiles or staff.

The pool and beach were good, and the serving staff were polite, though most barely spoke English. The resort itself was run-down, at best a one-star place, and far too expensive. Food was pretty bad, with salt and pepper but no other seasonings. They cooked it and left it in serving trays that weren’t heated. Breakfast included eggs but no bacon or sausage, and the pancakes were flat and dense. You can book each of the two restaurants once. The cafe-style one was only a little better than the dining room, while the other was better. The rooms were barely clean. There was a disgusting film of dirt all over the bathroom sink, which looked like they only used water to clean. Sheets and towels were grey. At the bar, thin paper cups leaked for the first few days, then they switched to thin plastic ones. Staff were seen rinsing and reusing the plastic cups and stir sticks. Alcohol often ran out, and for our last four days the soda machines didn’t work. They hand-mixed pop with water and put it in bottles. We got just one bottle of water in two weeks, even after asking reception three times. Don’t waste your money here. I wouldn’t recommend it or go back.

We’ve stayed here before, and this visit was great too. The manager made a point of greeting us morning, afternoon, and evening, and we were invited to a dinner for returning guests. The food was good, and the liquor never ran out. Our room was cleaned well. Some rooms are dated, as you’d expect. We stayed in the colonial section, which we love. See you in April!