Hotel da Villa

Parking was great, but there are much better places in Fortaleza at a similar price. On the way in, street kids harassed us, and one put a hand on my wallet while asking for money. Check-in was slow. Our room was roomy with a nice view, but the shower never got past lukewarm, even after running it for about ten minutes. There wasn’t a bathroom sink either, it was in the main room, where the counter was caked with grime and soap scum from previous guests. The food was poor for the price: the restaurant meal was basic and breakfast was below par.

The rooms can be nice if you get one of the newer ones, but otherwise they’re just okay and need renovation. Staff seemed confused, with different answers depending on who you asked. Reception gave me a key to a room that was already occupied, then the front desk tried to argue instead of fixing it quickly. I asked room service for a rare steak and waited over an hour, only for it to arrive well done. They sent the dish back to the kitchen three times, but the steak kept coming back the same way. By then it was late and I had no other options, so I gave up and ate it. The kitchen needs work. Reception could be friendlier too, and the manager should be around more. I asked to speak with them twice and was told both times that they weren’t at the hotel.

We paid 300 reais for a triple room and stayed just one night before heading elsewhere. The room was small but clean, and the hotel itself is large. Staff were helpful, and breakfast was included with plenty to choose from. As a vegan, I found lots of fruit and bread with jam. We didn’t check out the pool.

It was an okay stay, nothing special. The hotel was so new that our room still had lots of construction dust. When I arrived, they first gave me a room that hadn’t been cleaned. The staff’s English was very limited.