Pousada Novo Horizonte

The shower barely worked, just spitting out a few streams of water, and the bathroom had a dirty plastic curtain. The shared fridge and the water dispenser were dirty too, and I didn't dare drink the water. In our room, the air conditioner was so loud it sounded like a plane taking off. I stayed at Pousada Novo Horizonte in Barreirinhas, Maranhão, with a friend and another friend in June this year, and it was an unpleasant experience. The place didn't feel welcoming, when you're traveling you want somewhere comfortable where you can rest. The sheets were dingy and smelled bad, as if they'd been washed with lye soap. The bath towels were the same, and the blankets were torn and stank. The furniture was old and dirty as well. The breakfast was embarrassing for an inn. It was so poor I wouldn't serve it at home, and the dirty sandwich press made me feel sick. I can't recommend this place. The people responsible should renovate and invest in the business, and think about their guests' well-being.

We left and found another inn. It wasn't worth staying. The room was dirty, with trash left by previous guests, and the towels and sheets looked like they hadn't been changed. We asked for an extra blanket, but there wasn't one. The breakfast was exactly the same each day, with no hygiene at all and flies landing on the food. Simple doesn't have to mean dirty. Very bad.

I never even stayed there. I booked three nights directly with the owner for the holiday and paid in full. Fifteen days beforehand, I asked to cancel just one night because my flight had changed. She tried to refuse, but eventually cancelled it, apparently because they didn't know their own policy. Five days later she messaged to say she would refund my money because keeping my two-night booking wasn't worthwhile. She said people were looking for four nights over the holiday and there were no rooms left, so she needed to free up mine to make more money. This was ten days before my booking, with the city already full. Luckily, I found somewhere else that was even cheaper. The whole thing showed a complete lack of commitment to the customer.

The breakfast was tasty, and the air conditioner was the best part of the room. It's very simple, but well located.