Starfish St. Lucia All Inclusive

By the time anyone reads this, the venerable Starfish St. Lucia will likely be only a memory as it goes in the wrecking ball in May. Why, then, write a review for a resort no one will be able to visit again? I asked myself the same question, but something compels me to commit to paper… or pixels… a week of memories and feelings that deserve to be commemorated. Before I booked my week at Starfish in April, 3034, I read the reviews. The hotel was scheduled for demolition at the end of April, and I had some misgivings about booking into this “last chance resort”. I read the reviews. They neatly divided into two extremes: One or two star, “avoid at all costs” warnings, and four and five star “amazing say in paradise” commendations. As the price was right… more than right… exceptional in fact… I booked. After my week in St. Lucia, I can tell you that both extremes of these reviews are absolutely correct, yet the star level associated with the feedback I think reflects more about the reviewer than the vacation being scrutinized. Let me walk you through a few of the highlights. Is the resort a bit tired and faded? Yes, like Katherine Hepburn was a little tired and faded in the latter days of her career, yet she and Henry Fonda still created On Golden Pond. You can chose to focus on the wrinkles… the cracked concrete and the faded paint, or you can appreciate the classic ambiance of a resort that reflects a humbler, simpler, more intimate experience. Might you wait a little while for your your drink at the bar? Absolutely. The staff, in the last days of the Starfish, were a meagre crew just barely able to staff one bar at a time. However, they did so with style, good humour, and a level of service that belays their level of compensation. And I can choose how I react to the first-world problem of having to wait 5 minutes for a pina colada. I can wine, and fret, and let it sour my mood, or I can talk to the people I’m in line with. Like the couple there with the 17-year-old daughter who honeymooned at the Starfish 20 years ago. Or that fellow from Cape Bretton who just got out of the Forces and is celebrating finishing Golf Caddy school… on the Army’s dime! Do you have to get up at 6:00 to guarantee you have a lounger in a prime spot by the pool? Ok, this was enough of a concern to me that I actually brought my own lightweight collapsible beach chair with me. And yes, the chair game is real (as it is in many of the other resorts I’ve been to), Certainly, there were some who found this galling, complaining that on their vacation they should be able to sleep until noon and roll out to a private cabana in the shade. On the other hand, you can hook with 6 incredible new friends who take turns waking early, grabbing the very best spot by the pool--- three strokes from the swim-up bar, close to the snack shack, and a straight run to the ocean. Oh… wait… I suppose that makes me part of the problem. But it was pretty awesome. Is the beach incredible? Ok, even the one-star reviews have to admit this. The beach is a long crescent of soft, warm sand with nary a sprig of seaweed. The bay is filled with moored boats, big and small, and an aquarium of sea life awaits the snorkeler just offshore. Pigeon Island is a short (well, a bit more than half an hour) hobi-cat sail away, if you have a skilled captain. Add a few new friends to float around with in Rodney Bay, and this is a little piece of paradise. Is the food really that bad? Yes, and no. Breakfast is all you can ask for, especially when you find the secret stash of banana bread. Lunch at the beach snack bar was also quite good, though I agree you might have to have an extra St Lucia Surprise or two while waiting for it to arrive. The evening meal was… well… it was food. And I did have some really excellent goat (although it was labelled Chicken Oregano). Again, our band of April Fools took this in stride as well, walking down the beach or across the road to a wide variety of very reasonably priced and high-quality local eateries. Heck, we paid Cuba prices for our St. Lucia digs. Spending a few bucks in the local economy was all part of the experience. I travelled to St Lucia as a “single supplement”, expecting to spend the week reading on my balcony, snorkeling solo, and minding my own business. What I experienced instead was magic, coming together with a group of new friends from across Canada, and spending a very busy week in paradise. My days were filled with challenges, adventures, deep conversations, and pure joy. At the end of the week, I left feeling very good about the Starfish. I left feeling very grateful for the new friends I made there. I left feeling I’d been made better by the experience. Not bad for a last-chance resort.

It is a crying shame this place is being torn down to build a new hotel in a few weeks. Our room had a simply incredible view of the ocean and pool and scenery. Location is a 10/10. The beach is so close to resort you could reach out and touch it and the ocean was warm and sandy bottom. The buffet was not huge but the food was delicious. There was always fresh fish on the menu and chicken and some sort of meat. The grill at the beach served incredible wraps, fries and ice cream and was delightful. Rooms were nice and cleaning service was great. Very relaxed vibe at this hotel and if you get a chance to go before it closes, I would book it. Hotel is walking distance to shops. Cristal at front desk went above and beyond every day to help people. I had to go to public clinic for medical issue and Cristal helped me to get it sorted out and the Doctor at clinic was great and the wait was about 2 hours so very impressed with the healthcare on the island. We had an excursion cancelled by vendor last minute and Cristal also helped us book a private tour. She is a gem. Hotel was not busy which was a bonus. All in all we had a great holiday at this beautiful location.

Just wanted to write a quick review about our check in!!! Our driver - Felix - wad amazing! We stopped at Dennery Fishing village to grab a drink and take in the view! Christal was amazing at check in! She was incredibly sweet and everything went smoothly! Our room - while dated - is very clean! We have enough towels, 2 double beds, as requested, and Christal even followed up with a phone call to the room to ensure our room was good! We grabbed a quick bite to eat at the buffet, which has a nice variety, and we are now enjoying a drink at the rooftop patio bar! It's going be a great week!

This resort was absolutely amazing. Read all kinds of negative reviews but that was not our experience. The food was good. In the restaurant our server Alma was so sweet, and our bright spot when we ate there!! Our cleaning lady was Sandra J and was so friendly and did an amazing job in our room. She was quick, and attended to our room. She always had a smile for you. The front desk clerk Christal was so accommodating and knew anything about the hotel. She was clear, concise and knew everyone’s name when they came to the front desk. I would stay here again in a heartbeat. It’s so sad that it will be closed on 30 April. Thank you starfish for being an amazing place to stay and made our holiday the best stay ever!! I will be back to Saint Lucia.

I just came back from the Starfish and had an amazing time! This was one of the best vacations I’ve had in a long time, and so I felt compelled to write a review. This hotel is so quaint and so much charm and character! It is an older style hotel, but it has that quintessential Caribbean vibe. It’s small enough to feel cozy. The rooms were clean and safe. No significant complaints. I had an amazing view of the ocean. The beach is right on site and it is phenomenal! I think this section of the beach is nicer than the sections in front of the other, more expensive hotels down the strip, including the Sandals resort. The breakfast and lunch at the outside beach grill were good and you won't go hungry. The Rodney Bay Area is very safe and welcoming to tourists. It is nearby to walk to local restaurants and fairly inexpensive to get local food if you get bored with the hotel food. The staff were friendly and helpful. The only comment here is that they were sometimes short-staffed because some staff were leaving for other jobs given the upcoming closure. I also met a wonderful group of new friends while staying at the Starfish. Overall, I had a fantastic vacation that I will always remember and treasure! If you have realistic expectations and are not expecting a 5 star experience, I think you will love the Starfish. I would go back if the Starfish if it were still going to be there. I feel sad that it is closing. I wish it weren't. I hope that all the staff find new jobs. Thanks again for the memories Starfish! ️