El Faro Boutique Hotel & Spa by DON

We left after one night and lost money on the booking. The place was gross, poorly maintained, and the rooms felt like run-down motel rooms. Breakfast was limited and low quality, and the service was awful. Save your money, there are plenty of better places to stay.

The staff made our stay feel easy from the start. They were warm and attentive, arranged a great horseback riding trip with a local farm, and the front desk even worked hard to return a valuable hat I'd left behind. That small kindness really stuck with me. We loved the heated pool overlooking the lake, where we swam, relaxed in the sun, and enjoyed the peaceful setting. The sauna and hot tub were also a lovely way to unwind. Our room was roomy and comfortable, with a big bathroom and a soaking tub with gorgeous views. Every meal we had was delicious, too. The location is hard to beat, with beautiful scenery to take in at any hour. We travel often, and El Faro is among the best places we've stayed. We'll remember it fondly and hope to come back.

That lake view is worthy of a four-star hotel, but the rest of the experience felt more like two stars. Check-in and check-out were fine, just nothing special. We booked a deluxe lake-view room, though the actual room didn't match the website photos, so keep expectations in check. The furniture showed wear, the robes were stiff and frayed, and the bathroom hot tub worked but was badly cracked, with what looked like layers of repair putty holding the water in.

The rooms and shared spaces weren't as nice as the pictures, though it's still a reasonable place to stay in the area. The views are lovely, and town is about a 30-minute walk away. I'd have given it four stars if there were bikes to ride into town.