Hotel Sibara Spa & Convenções

The pool is small given how big the hotel is, and the indoor pool smells bad. The rooms are basic, while the lifts and hallways really need updating. The lift sensors don't pick people up properly, and the door nearly caught my son. There are also balconies without safety nets, which could be very dangerous for young children. We booked two rooms and ended up eight floors apart. The hotel said it was full and couldn't put us closer, though I found that hard to believe given its size. It's about 20 floors across two towers, something I hadn't realised from the photos. If you're looking for a hotel that can tailor its service, this isn't the place. We were travelling with my son, my sister, and her children, and nobody offered to help with our very heavy bags. The receptionist was dismissive and extremely arrogant when we arrived. We've only just arrived, and the experience has already been extremely disappointing. This place is completely overrated and doesn't deserve four stars. I wouldn't recommend it.

The biggest problem was how the manager handled a small mishap. My husband was ironing his white shirt in the shared laundry room before a wedding when black liquid came out of the iron and stained it. We asked for another iron, but the hotel sent someone from the laundry to collect and iron the clothes instead. We'd asked the night before if a staff member could do this and were told no, yet they charged us anyway. There was only one iron for guests to share, and it was the hotel's equipment. The manager was rude and defensive, insisting it was entirely our responsibility to use what they'd provided, and didn't try to meet us halfway. We did meet some kind reception and restaurant staff, and one person politely asked us to shut the windows during a storm. But that exchange over the shirt made all the other problems harder to shrug off: a live bug the size of my thumb in the first room, a noisy toilet extractor and shower that made the second room rumble, loud air conditioning and a mini fridge, hair in the toilet and shower, no drinkable water available, and a friend stuck in the elevator for 45 minutes. The rooms felt old fashioned and the breakfast spread was fair. The beach was conveniently about a block away. The first room's window had been left open, which is understandable in a tropical place, and I could live with the noise. We were also told the hotel's glory days were past, and the fancy lobby initially made me think that might be wrong. Past the lobby, though, it was clear there are administrative issues to sort out. Maybe staying an extra block from the beach would be worthwhile for a better night's sleep.

Breakfast was excellent, well above what I'd expect from hotels in the same category. The rest of the stay had some frustrating problems. On the ninth floor, the down button didn't work, and the display in elevator car 3 always looked stuck. The toilet paper was rough and hard to tear, and kept falling out of its public restroom style dispenser. In the shower, the hot water was weak, so it was either a cold shower or very low pressure. There wasn't a holder or shelf for soap, either. Having to wear a wristband throughout the hotel felt out of place for a city stay, especially for business travelers.

I was able to get breakfast even though I had to leave very early, and there were lots of good options. The receptionists were really polite and helpful, too. The room was very good, and the hotel is just a block from the beach, with restaurants, clothing stores, and bars nearby. I'd definitely recommend staying here.