Suítes Malibu

Top-notch.

I was disappointed because the photos no longer match what the place is like. It had the makings of a perfect inn, and I have no complaints about the friendly, helpful staff. The location is good, though if you're unfamiliar with the area, arriving can make it look like you're entering a favela/community. That was startling at first, but I later saw that wasn't the case, and I didn't feel unsafe. The sheets and towels were clean, but our room had cobwebs and dust on the ceiling. My two daughters have allergies and suffered because of it. The bathroom light wiring was exposed. The shared kitchen was messy and had a cockroach, and the water filter barely worked and didn't provide cold water. Our suite was above the kitchen, and the noise made it hard to sleep. The shared bathroom in the inn's hall was unusable, flooded, dirty, and had water damage. The hall sofa was torn, and the whole space felt neglected. I'm leaving this feedback so the owners can take a look and try to improve things.

The price is definitely very affordable. The staff were friendly, the air conditioning and minibar were very cold, and the TV worked fine. Breakfast was okay for the price. There were problems, though. The sheet had blood and other stains on it, and there was only a thin blanket in the room when I arrived, so I had to ask for another. The sink was dirty, and the toilet stayed dirty even after flushing. The room's water was cold and came out in a weak trickle, and the bathroom had a very strong cleaning product smell. It was noisy too, with doors slamming and construction going on. I didn't think the location was very good, since most places meant taking an Uber.

Our stay at Pousada Malibu was extremely disappointing. We paid 50% upfront, then waited almost three days for an email confirming the booking and the suite we'd reserved. This was not even high season. On check-in day, they put us in a completely different room beside the kitchen and common area, without telling us or explaining why. We were given a room with a curtain that didn't block the light, and its window faced the kitchen. The window had no lock, so it could only be closed. The lights stayed on all night, making it impossible to rest properly. The staff knew about this but neither turned them off nor offered another solution. We only realized hours later that we weren't in the suite we had booked. The employee we asked gave us several excuses and then told us to sort it out with the person in charge of reservations over WhatsApp. We later learned that the employee was also one of the owners, but he'd brushed us off without saying so. The explanation was that some rooms had no air conditioning, so other guests were moved into our reserved suite and we were shifted to an inferior one. They did this without asking us, apologizing, or offering a discount or compensation during the stay. They offered a discount on a suite with a balcony next time, as if I'd want to return after being treated this way. The service felt uncomfortable and unprofessional throughout. The kitchen was supposed to close at 8 p.m. but was used until 11 p.m. with a lot of noise. Breakfast noise started at 8 a.m., and we were told that was when everyone should be up, and if we wanted to sleep longer, we should go to a spa. The inn is opposite a community/favela, something they should clearly tell guests before booking. For some people, such as public safety workers like police, or anyone looking for a quieter stay, that could affect their decision. Guests shouldn't have to investigate to find out something the inn itself should disclose. I know plenty of guests report good experiences, but ours was negative, so I can't recommend it. This could happen to anyone staying there, and it points to a lack of professionalism and organization. We paid for a specific service and didn't get what we booked.