Hotel Elena

The breakfast was just coffee with milk, two croissants, and two small books of fat for the two of us. I can't fault the staff, though, they were very friendly. This was our first time in Salta, and it turned into a terrible stay. We came to enjoy the city, explore, and REST, but my partner and I barely rested at all. On the first night, the double bed was two single beds pushed together, with very stale mattresses and misshapen pillows. We woke up with cramped necks and backs. The next night was worse. Almost at midnight, we heard a strange noise from one of our shoes. I moved it with the bathroom floor dryer, and a very large rat came out. Two more were under the bed. I went to report it at the front desk while my partner stayed in the room to make sure nothing got into our suitcase of clothes, since scared rats will crawl into any hole. The front desk guy came in, saw one, and tried to kill it with a stick. They offered another room, which we then had to check thoroughly to make sure none had gotten into our clothes. It was 2 a.m.; the whole thing left us so nervous we couldn't eat or sleep. In our rush to leave, we forgot some things in the room where it happened. When we came back, everything was in disarray and one of the rats was squashed. I don't know what happened after that. On top of everything, there was no hot water in the other room, so we couldn't shower. We'd arrived at the hotel the day before tired, lain down, and then all of this happened without us even getting to shower. We never got the relaxing, restful night we expected.

The hotel is spacious and very well located, though a bit dark at night. We arrived by car expecting parking because the website says it has it, but they sent us to a space two blocks away and charged us for parking. Breakfast was similar: listed as included, then they charged extra. Everyone was friendly throughout, but I don't think those details were explained clearly.

Florencia was especially warm, and the staff were friendly the whole time. But the stay didn't match what the promotional material led us to expect. The rooms are dark, breakfast wasn't included and cost us an extra $10,000, and in the back rooms the huge, beautiful avocado tree drops fruit onto the ceiling at night with a clatter that makes it impossible to sleep. Several amenities shown in the photos and advertised weren't available either. The service and experience felt more like a hostel than a hotel. It's a house with lots of potential, but it could be improved a lot to match its promises.

Such a joy to discover that this hotel is still open! My husband and I stayed here in April 1977, and I still have photos on its staircase. We returned to the north, and I thought the place would be gone by now. Pure joy. I hope life lets me come back and stay here again. Hugs.