Puerto Manzano Boutique Hotel

For a hotel charging £250 a night, I expected a cleaner, better maintained spa. The spa didn't feel clean or well looked after for a property in this category. Our room had noticeable dust and spider webs, and nobody dealt with them during our stay. The facilities also seemed poorly finished, with some areas needing more maintenance. The reception was in an unusual location and was often unattended; the bar was unattended at times too. The staff were friendly and meant well, but seemed inexperienced with professional hospitality service. The restaurant was acceptable, though some dishes didn't seem to match the concept or focus of the menu. This did not meet my expectations for a five-star property. There were mold issues.

The location and views are incredible, and the staff were genuinely kind and friendly. I can see the potential here, and with major work on maintenance, cleanliness, amenities, and food, the hotel could turn things around. The region and nearby towns are spectacular. I hope the hotel can meet the standard in the coming months and years. As things are now, though, there are many better options nearby, and we wish we'd stayed elsewhere. We chose it during our Patagonia trip because the website and Instagram presented it as a five-star hotel, and my husband and I were excited to stay. The lobby looked fine and the bar looked nice, but whenever we tried to use it, nobody was there, so we never got drinks. The food was very bad and one of the biggest disappointments. We tried the hotel's dining room but couldn't eat the food, and the breakfasts were pathetic. We ended up walking to a nearby hotel to eat on three occasions, and the food there was great. The amenities were in poor condition. The pool was visibly dirty, with multiple badly done touch-up repairs that looked unfinished. The hot tub never got properly hot. There were more maintenance problems than I can fully list: broken pool tiles, splintered wood and exposed nails on the pool deck, exposed wiring around the property including in the bedroom, stained floors and walls, a crumbling gym wall and filthy gym floor, exposed or capped pipes, and raised laminate vinyl flooring throughout the hallway. The hotel also lacked things I'd expect at a five-star place, including a bathroom hygiene set, slippers or bathrobe, tea or coffee in the room, a bedroom phone, and air conditioning. We asked for a razor or shaving foam and they didn't have either. Leaving was frustrating too. We asked for a taxi to the airport and somehow they ordered two. At the airport, we learned the driver had been promised a higher price than the staff had told us. By then, it felt laughable. Based on the website and Instagram, this was a huge letdown. It was a one-star experience for us, and at best the hotel felt closer to three-star by any standard.

We were charged over $500 a night, $2000 total, and expected a comfortable stay. But when we arrived, we found the room had no air conditioning, something that wasn't clearly disclosed when we booked. It was so hot that sleeping became impossible, and we had to leave that night and pay unexpectedly for another hotel just to be comfortable. Management refused a refund when we explained what happened, pointing to the non-refundable policy even though the room was effectively unusable. At this rate, air conditioning and a reasonable response to a problem should be standard. DO NOT BOOK THIS HOTEL. The booking and communication pictures I'm sharing don't say anywhere on the web or in the messages that there's no AC.

The room's curtains were broken and wouldn't close. When I asked for a fix, maintenance did nothing and said nothing. An hour later I tried to shower, but the water was scalding hot and there was no cold water to adjust it. Receptionist Esteban said he couldn't help, apologized, and said it was management's responsibility. Management seemed nonexistent. I left and checked into Correntoso Hotel, which was wonderful and excellent. If you're considering Manzano and want a decent experience, change your mind and go to Correntoso. The photos here look beautiful, but everything else was the lowest quality I've ever seen, making this the worst hotel experience of my life. This place needs to be shut down immediately. I'm still trying to get a refund through friendly means, but they haven't authorized it and seem to lack character. Booking.com, where I made the reservation, has offered zero support and is another piece of junk. Unfortunately, I'll have to take legal action. I'm warning people: HOTEL MANZANO IS COMPLETE TRASH. The facilities and service are a joke, and they deserve to be closed and punished for their lack of integrity!