Star Island: Life is good... 65-acres and a spa!
Written: Feb 06 '02
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Conveniently located to Disney and Universal parks
Cons: Huge complex with only one swimming pool
The Bottom Line: This large resort offers large living areas and bedrooms, is convenient to Disney attractions, and has a wonderful on-site spa.
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| diverpam's Full Review: Star Island Resort & Club |
Star Island Resort is located on 65 acres near the Disney attractions and is primarily a timeshare/condominium complex. There are two lakes on the premises and the resort is set back from the main highway in a fairly quiet setting.
What most attracted me to them was their on-site spa, A Touch of Health. The thought of a relaxing vacation where I could send my husband off to play golf, while I had a nice massage or soaked in a hot tub sounded quite appealing. I was not disappointed with the spa!
The Complex
The complex is quite large with several buildings spread throughout the property. We were about four buildings away from the lobby area.
It could be quite a hike to get to the lobby/pool/exercise area from the outlying buildings. I really felt like we were staying in a very large apartment complex.
Parking could be very challenging, depending on what time you arrived back at the resort. There were a couple of nights we had to park quite a distance from our room.
Check-In
We actually arrived a couple of hours prior to check-in time and decided to give it a shot. Luckily, our room was clean and ready and they let us check in early. (This is not always the case with timeshare resorts, so we were very fortunate to beat the crowd.)
The lobby area is fairly small and there were three people working at the desk. I can imagine it would have been quite hectic right at 3pm as all the Saturday-Saturday timeshare owners arrived.
There was an exercise area and bar accessible from the lobby, as well.
Our Living Quarters
Our unit for the week was located on the second floor with what I believe to be the world's slowest elevator fairly close by. After hauling our luggage up, we didn't usually bother waiting for the elevator too often.
Ours was a double unit with a front entryway. After unlocking the door we were in a hallway of sorts. The full-size unit was to the right and the lock off (smaller side) to the left. There was a washer and dryer in this common area.
We were staying in the large side, which had a full kitchen, dining area, living room, master bedroom and fairly luxurious bath.
The place pretty much screamed, "Florida!" when we stepped inside. Pastels, rattan, comfy lounging pillows and floral prints indeed let us know we weren't in Memphis any more.
Comfortable Living/Dining Area
There was a large television in the living room, as well as the bedroom. Both were equipped with cable, although we spent little time watching television.
There was a glass top dining table in the dining/living room combination.
Bedroom
The bedroom had a king-size bed with built-in nightstands and mirrors. I have to admit it felt a bit cheesy and decadent, but it was comfortable. The closet was a decent size with enough room to stow away luggage.
There were a couple of chairs in the bedroom, as well.
Bathroom(s)
There was a huge whirlpool in the open bathroom/bedroom area. It was so large and inviting that I did indulge my aching body on several occasions after tramping through Universal Studios and outlet malls all day. Normally, I'm just a "shower" person... but it was too tempting for me to pass up. Of course, I could have done without the mirrors everywhere!
The sink area next to the tub was well-lit and I promptly claimed it as my own. There was plenty of room for me to spread out my toiletries and settle in.
In the separate potty/sink area there was a stand-alone shower. It was nice having the two separate sink areas, as well as the separate shower. (Yes, my husband was grateful to have his own sink!)
Supplies
The rooms were nicely cleaned and well-stocked with kitchen utensils and necessary soap/cleaners. I even baked a cheesecake while we were there, so it was pretty well-equipped.
There were quite a few towels scattered between the two bathroom areas, yet we still ended up calling and requesting extras. The service was fairly prompt in getting more towels and the rooms were tidied up every day.
Downside
The biggest disappointment was that there was only one pool for the entire complex. It always seemed to be full no matter when we attempted to drop in for a relaxing swim.
The hot tub was always full of pre-teens with no parents to be found. There was never a place for a quiet getaway. Imagine being minutes from Disneyworld and having the place covered with children! What were we thinking???
Wonderful Spa
I did enjoy my day of luxury at the spa. I got a massage, facial and hot wax treatment one afternoon. The staff was professional and attentive and I was so relaxed I had to call my husband and have him pick me up at the lobby and drive me back to the room. Okay, relaxed or lazy....your choice! (Don't tell my husband, but it was the best $135 I spent all week.)
Other Actitvities
The resort offered several activities throughout the week, including free range balls (for their on-site driving range). That was the only activity of which we participated.
We were contacted by the sales manager who offered us a $50 Landry's gift certificate if we would tour the resort (as part of a timeshare presentation).
We rode around in a golf cart (saw the tennis courts) and were told they were planning to build a huge water park as part of the complex. (This was after I commented about such a large resort having only one pool.)
Recommendation
Overall, our stay was comfortable and we had plenty of room. We were able to get to the various attractions, golf courses, shopping centers, and restaurants from the fairly centralized location.
I don't know the cost, because we used this as a trade for our timeshare. (It is part of Interval International for those of you interested.)
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
diverpam
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Member: Pam
Location: Collierville, TN
Reviews written: 263
Trusted by: 351 members
About Me:
~~~~So many oceans...so little time!~~~~
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