Star Palace Hotel

The room smelled like sewage and didn't even have hand towels or face cloths in the bathroom. There was nowhere to put a suitcase, so I had to use the ironing board. The food, drinks, and room accommodations were all awful. I'd give this hotel zero stars if I could. Stay clear.

The food was just okay: mostly buffet meals with Mexican dishes, or burgers, hot dogs, and chicken nuggets. There was only one restaurant, and there were no snacks outside its hours. They said the aqua bar had snacks, but I never saw it open during my seven days there. For what it cost, this was absolutely not worth it, and I left disappointed. The biggest issue was black mold. I changed rooms three times because each had a significant amount of it. I finally accepted the one that seemed less bad, but if three rooms had mold, I worry many more do too. I took photos and showed them to the Sunwing Rep, who said he would file a complaint and report it. I haven't heard anything back. The best he could do at the time was move me to another room. The spots are hard to see in the photos unless you zoom in. There was little English spoken by staff, which I would expect at a hotel aimed at tourists. The activities and parties were all in Spanish, and the place didn't feel much like a vacation to me. It seemed more like somewhere Mexican residents go on holiday. Some staff were good, though.

My family and I felt uncomfortable for the entire stay. Staff would avoid us when we tried to ask for things, and the bartender rolled his eyes whenever we ordered and was extremely rude if we didn't tip. We paid for all-inclusive, so we shouldn't have to tip just to get drinks at the pool, especially when we're in the water and don't have money on us. We weren't expecting to tip for minimal effort. We also tried to order sushi at 7:25, even though sushi time was listed as 1 to 8, and were told they were closed. Worst experience I've had. If I could give the place zero stars, I would. Do not go.

The location was fantastic, right by the ocean, and the pool was gorgeous. Our room was clean, too. The trouble was that the outside music got so loud at night, and the beds were uncomfortable, so my husband and I didn't sleep well. We also found ants in the room. Aside from that, it was a great place to stay.