Sea Star Resort Phu Quoc

First opened in 2004, the Sea Star Resort is simple and cheerful, with lovely grounds that include a couple dozen thatched bungalows with hammocks in the front, two larger four-story buildings, and a pleasant pool with sea views. Interiors are basic and mostly generic throughout, with simple wood furniture and polished off-white tiles in the lobby. The restaurant, located right on the beach, has a few attractive touches, such as a combination of terra-cotta and painted tiles, high wooden ceilings with exposed beams, and terrace seating with sea views. The focus here is the outdoors, and all indoor spaces have huge windows overlooking the gardens, which feature Malabar almond and palm trees, along with colorful tropical flowers.

We found the atmosphere to be quiet and relaxing when we visited in peak season, with just the sound of the waves in the background, and couples sitting quietly at the beach or around the pool. However, the hotel is popular with Russian groups and tour operators, and there have been complaints that it can feel overcrowded at times. During the busiest periods, beach loungers go early in the morning, and it can be hard finding a spot around the pool as well.

The Sea Star is pleasant, and the beach is great, but the neighboring Thanh Kieu Beach Resort offers better value overall, with spacious, clean rooms featuring free Wi-Fi and nice outdoor bathrooms, two restaurants with reasonable prices, and a lovely stretch of beach. The hotel, though, lacks a pool. Travelers on a tighter budget may want to compare rates at the Lien Hiep Thanh Resort, which is also on the beach and offers an array of simple bungalows with patios (but not all have air-conditioning). For a little more money, the Eden Resort and Famiana Resort & Spa are more upscale, with big rooms with nice bathrooms, nice pools, and private loungers on the beach. 

The hotel is located at the end of a small back street lined with a number of casual restaurants and cafes. Although a little away from the main tourist area, a few dining, drinking, and shopping options can be found along the main road, which is just a couple of minutes down the street. Duong Dong, the island’s main city, is an easy five-minute drive away, or 15 minutes on foot. There are no sidewalks in some areas, though, and taking a taxi may be safer for longer distances, especially because motorbikes tend to ride on the shoulder. The town’s night market -- selling everything from pearls to souvenirs to fresh seafood -- is worth a visit. Stunning Sao Beach is a 35-minute drive away, and the airport is about 10 minutes from the hotel.

The hotel has 78 air-conditioned rooms spread over two four-story buildings and a couple dozen thatched bungalows in the gardens. Rooms housed in bungalows have a couple of nice touches such as exposed wooden beams and small reading lights by the bed, but the style is plain and somewhat dated throughout, with basic wooden furniture, beige floors, and bare walls. Four-poster beds are regular bed frames with four thin wooden sticks nailed to them to hold mosquito nets, and there have been complaints of hard beds (the newer rooms have different mattresses). All rooms are kept clean and tidy, but we noticed some water damage in some of the rooms we saw. 

The hotel more than doubled its room count in 2016 with the construction of a new building adjacent to reception housing Deluxe Rooms. These newer rooms have a more contemporary style, with wooden floors, simple wooden furniture, and fuchsia accents in throw pillows and bed runners. Beach Villas, located right on the sand, were renovated in 2016 and have stylish wallpaper and nicer wood furniture with carved details. In-room amenities, though, are the same in all room types, and include older flat-panel TVs with cable channels, minibars stocked with sodas and water, and electric kettles. Some rooms may get Wi-Fi signal from the restaurant, the pool, or the lobby from their balcony, but in-room internet is not available. 

Bathrooms in Standard and Superior units are basic and a tad drab, with wet room-style showers and older wall-mounted hairdryers. Deluxe Rooms have more contemporary bathrooms complete with large walk-in rain showers, white and dark gray tiles throughout, and simple granite-style countertops. Bathrooms in Beach Villas were also redone in 2016, with terra-cotta tile finishes, wooden mirror frames, and spacious glass rain showers. 

The Sea Star has a medium-sized infinity pool set in the gardens, complete with a kiddy section, sea views, and small deck around it with a half-dozen cushioned loungers. While generally quiet and pleasant, it can feel overcrowded at times, especially when there are tour groups staying in the hotel. The beach is lovely and sandy, with plenty of trees for shade and a number of wooden loungers. Waters are shallow and calm in the winter, but can get rough in the summer, when swimming is not recommended. Cocktails, beer, sodas, and frozen drinks are available from the beach bar, housed in a palapa right on the sand. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served at the hotel’s only restaurant, which features outdoor seating with sea views. The menu includes Vietnamese and international options, and barbecue nights are particularly popular, but most guests find food just average.