Arubiana Inn

It’s Monday, our third day here, and the office is still closed. We’ve had to check ourselves in, and we haven’t found anyone to speak with since arriving. The whole place was locked when we got here, and with no phone service we couldn’t call anyone. We ended up shouting and banging on the door until another person heard us. Our keys were apparently in a mailbox, but nobody told us. I’m fine with a basic room, but this is ridiculous. The TV remote doesn’t work and the safe is broken. We’ve been waiting for someone since we arrived. I won’t stay here again.

Spending $140 on this room was a waste. The website price and photos looked like a good deal, but the room looked nothing like the pictures and wasn’t worth the money. It was dirty and clearly hadn’t been cleaned properly: grime on the counters, in the bathroom, and inside both the microwave and fridge. The sheets and blankets were filthy, and we even found a lizard in the room. The front desk also claimed we hadn’t paid, although we’d booked and paid online. It felt like a shady attempt to charge us again. A terrible experience, and I wouldn’t recommend the place. Save yourself the frustration.

The staff really are wonderful, and the place has a cute feel, but there were easy improvements they could make. The pool could use a thorough cleaning because the constant wind blows leaves and foliage into it. The rooms look worn and need renovation, and there don’t seem to be enough staff. When breakfast is being served, reception is left unmanned for a couple of hours. There was also little atmosphere: no music around the pool, and everyone just sat outside their rooms in silence. I’d still recommend it, but those areas need attention.

I cancelled a booking with free cancellation more than 17 days ago. Seven days later, I first contacted them about the refund. They briefly said they were looking into it, but nothing happened. I messaged again five days later and sent my credit card details for the refund. Four more days passed before they asked me to fill out another form authorizing a payment with my card information and signature. I asked whether that was really necessary, since they could simply return the money to my card, and haven’t heard anything since. I’m still waiting for a refund of almost US $, and it seems like they don’t really care about paying it back.