Starfish Varadero - All Inclusive

Just got back from a sunny January 2026 vacation, and this resort was awesome. The bungalows were comfortable, the food was great, and there’s a game room with pool tables plus a 24-hour bar. The beach was breathtaking, and the entertainment team, boys and girls, were amazing with fun games and dancing. Can’t wait to come back. Love Eduardo! Ask for him and tell him his friends sent you.

We left for another hotel after less than 24 hours. The piano player in the main room was great, and the beach was lovely, but the food, service, and facilities were so bad they really damaged the trip. The food was like what I imagine a prison in a third-world country serves, and the alcoholic drinks tasted like water. Our rooms were dirty, the hallways dark and badly in need of repair. The sports bar floor was literally in pieces, and I saw a woman trip and complain about it. Our key card stopped working twice, and each time it took over an hour to fix. The second time, we had to be very assertive to get anything done. Truly a terrible hotel. Don’t book here.

The beach and grounds were the clear highlights. The sand was soft, the water clear, and the mature vegetation made the property breathtaking. Unfortunately, those were the only positives for us. I’ve been to Cuba about ten times, including five trips since COVID, and this was the saddest stay I’ve had. We arrived late at night with Sunwing (WestJet), exhausted, and waited a couple of hours after check-in to get into our room. The door lock battery was dead, and the “mechanic” wasn’t available right away to replace it. Once inside, the room reeked of cigarette smoke and was in very poor shape. We switched rooms the next day. The second was a little better, but still very tired, even by Cuban resort standards. The buffet was extremely limited and repetitive, and the staff looked unhappy. Someone guarded the cheese and gave guests dirty looks if they served themselves. It seemed clear they were rationing because food was scarce. I know Cuba and understand conditions vary, often depending on the price, but our room and buffet experience were beyond anything I’d had before. It’s a stay I’ll remember for a long time, for all the wrong reasons. If you’re considering it, spend a few hundred dollars more and stay elsewhere.

It’s a small resort, and the hotel rooms were below what we expected. We upgraded to a bungalow near the beach and pool, and it was fantastic. The staff were truly amazing, and the beach was one of the finest I’ve ever visited. We had an awesome time!