Residencial Santa Lucia

We’ll definitely come back. The apartments were clean, beautiful, and had everything we needed, just two minutes from the beach. The staff were so welcoming, friendly, and helpful.

The apartment was spotless, and we didn’t see any insects or cockroaches, even though we cooked there. The bed was comfortable, there was an extra blanket, and enough shelves and hanging space. The couch was comfortable too, and the bathroom had room for toiletry bags. There’s a laundry sink and drying rack. The shower was broken when we arrived, so there was no hot water. They should have checked that before we got there. We stayed on the second floor. The air conditioning is in the bedroom, with a large fan in the living area. Wi-Fi barely reached the apartment, and was so slow that we had to stand on the stairs to use it. The kitchen is tiny, with hardly any chopping space, but the four gas burners were enough to make spaghetti and sauce, steak and vegetables, and breakfast. There aren’t many kitchen items, though it does have a pan, pot, metal straining spoon, wooden spoon, sieve, microwave, and blender. The pans aren’t non-stick, so our potatoes either burned or went soft instead of getting crispy. The TV only gets Brazilian channels. They hadn’t left dish soap or a sponge, so we bought soap and the cheapest scourer we could find. Not ideal, but for a few nights it didn’t seem worth making a fuss. The street slopes uphill a bit, but we always felt safe. It’s a 10 minute walk to a supermarket and 20 to the beach, with lots of restaurants and bars nearby and an acai cafe across from the hotel. The woman at reception was lovely and a real asset to the hotel.

Just average.

Good value for money, with air conditioning in the bedroom and a ceiling fan in the living room. It’s close to the beach, a supermarket, and pharmacies. Service was good, and it was quiet during my stay, with no noise problems. I missed some basic kitchen things, like soap, a dish sponge, a tea towel, and napkins, so I had to buy them. Be careful walking around outside at odd hours, especially on the street to the left. If you’re heading to the beach, take the street on the right. The upper apartments aren’t suitable for anyone with mobility difficulties. I stayed in 304.