Palma Real Posada

Palma Real has the makings of a jungle oasis: just 12 rooms, comfortable beds, plenty of storage, good AC, a lovely pool, loungers and Jacuzzi, plus a varied, delicious breakfast. The property is gorgeous and conveniently located. I got plenty of use out of the water facilities, though the water was very cold in the hot air. I loved the place, but it also wore me down. It brought to mind the gingerbread house in Hansel and Gretel, a paradise that turns out to be deceptive. The trouble began before I arrived. I got 16 emails about a three-night stay, then another half dozen after check-in. Travelers already have plenty of messages about transport, lodging, tours, storage and reminders. Who wants to sort through 16 emails while trying to relax? The gate code made sense, but the separate room code didn’t work. The tiny keypad buttons were hard for me at 70, and I saw other guests struggling too. Key cards would be much easier. The WiFi signal was strong, around 25 Mbps, which may be normal for a small town, but moving around meant switching networks and passwords. That really isn’t necessary. I talked with the young, smart, enthusiastic employee working on the systems about using the same network name and password across access points, or adding a controller. He reminded me of myself 50 years ago. He’s a good kid who could use some guidance, and I hope he has a great career in IT. He’ll need to learn Iguazú. It doesn’t matter that a system feels easy to employees who use it every day. The guest experience is what counts. Bring in people who haven’t seen it before and watch where they get stuck. I’ve done this thousands of times in my IT career, and it’s worth the effort. I hope the systems are upgraded by my next visit. One of the last emails also showed a large charge the desk couldn’t explain. The next day I was told I wouldn’t really be charged for whatever it was, but it was more stress. I’m on vacation to relax and have fun. The job here is to make guests feel welcome, and somewhere along the way someone at Palma Real lost sight of that. I’d be happy to discuss improvements, but I’m away on vacation.

We had to check out early, and receptionist Jovdl kindly kept our luggage for us. Really helpful, great service.

The staff were so nice and helped with all our questions. Breakfast was excellent, and the place was clean throughout. Our room was massive, with a really nice, spacious shower. The location worked well too: about a seven-minute walk to the center and six minutes to the nearest bus stop. We loved staying here.

For the price, this was great value. Breakfast was included, and the pool was a welcome way to cool off on a hot, humid day. My room had two enormous king-size beds, and the room itself was huge. The shower was fantastic too.