Hotel Mercedes

We stayed for a weekend with 15 friends to celebrate a birthday, including seven children of different ages. This review reflects the frustration of the group. The property has a lot going for it, with an incredible location and attractive facilities, but the way it's managed made it feel like wasted potential. We came away feeling that guest satisfaction took a back seat to cutting costs. A couple was charged almost an extra day's rate for their one-year-old twin daughters, supposedly for using the pool and having breakfast. I was charged 30% of the package price to add a 14-year-old to our room, even though it already had two double beds. Our room was one category above standard and very clean, but the furnishings were basic, and its two double beds weren't queen-sized. The restaurant is called Mero. Even though it belongs to the hotel, guests can't put restaurant charges on their room and have to settle the bill there. It sits beside a beautiful deck and pleasant pool, and the property has three lovely pools. But the restaurant also showed the management problems: the friendly, hardworking attendants clearly struggled to serve guests well, and when we asked for someone in charge, we were told nobody responsible was available. The TV only had the region's basic free channels. Cable TV cost an additional EUR 10. This isn't somewhere I'd want to return to or recommend, despite the appealing location and facilities.

The hotel has a great view and a lovely platform over the sea, and the crew were really nice. I enjoyed staying there. But Ilhabela is a place for nature lovers, and I think the hotel could do more to protect nature. Rainwater from the nearby highlands creates a lovely natural pool. I was told that guests sometimes complain about moss on its bottom, and sadly I noticed chemicals being used to clean the water. Those chemicals will eventually flow into the ocean. People who visit Ilhabela should love nature and reduce their footprint, and the hotel should do the same.

The borrachudos were the one real downside. The old building's window and sliding door seals didn't seem great, and we got bitten badly. Take the warnings seriously and buy the strongest bug spray you can before arriving. Reapply when you wake up, after sweating, swimming, or showering. We showered before bed and forgot to put more on. Big mistake. Protecting your skin is part of staying here. This has been my favorite vacation spot. The huge, historic, almost castle-like hotel has lots to explore inside and out. We loved our beach-view room and the private beach beside the pools, right in front of the bar and restaurant. Breakfast was a feast each morning in the big dining hall, where there was room to sit outside with a view, near other people, or somewhere more secluded. Don't count on the concierge speaking English. It's hit or miss whether anyone on the property can help in English, so download a translation app and be ready to ask for a cab in Portuguese. We actually liked that, since we chose Ilhabela for an island getaway. The Wi-Fi was pretty poor too, with the lobby router struggling to reach through the stone walls. This isn't the place for room service or lots of attention. It's a beautiful spot with amazing views, not too far from "town," and a lot of island charm. The restaurant next door is awesome!

Brazilian friends invited me to a wedding, but the hotel canceled our reservation and left both the guests and the couple with nowhere else to go. Ilhabela has only a few accommodation options, and some people are traveling from other cities and countries. This is very disappointing and clearly unacceptable. I didn't expect this kind of behavior or lack of professionalism from a hotel of this standard.