Pousada Som do Mar Maceió

I had a terrible stay at Som do mar. The Wi-Fi barely worked, and only at reception. There was no parking despite what they claim, and breakfast was at another hotel far away, so the transport cost made it not worthwhile. They say guests feel at home, but my towels weren’t clean and the staff didn’t show the respect or courtesy I expect at home. The owners and employees were rude, and they didn’t even follow their own rules. Before arrival, I messaged on WhatsApp three days ahead to confirm my reservation. They saw it but didn’t reply. I tried again the next day with no response. When I wrote once more the day before, I got a very rude and disrespectful answer. I’d already paid half, so I went anyway. I regretted it. The shower only had cold water, and it gave me an electric shock. Tired from the trip, I took a cold shower and went to bed. I complained the next morning, but nothing had been fixed when I came back that afternoon. By that night they had wrapped the shower in insulating tape to stop the shocks. Bruna, the morning employee, was extremely impolite. She wouldn’t greet you and only answered if spoken to. She was always on her phone, wearing earphones, talking on the phone, or looking angry. Room cleaning is only done in the morning, so if you get up at 9 and leave at 10, forget it, your room won’t be cleaned. Bath towels are changed every two days, even though it’s a beach area, and they don’t give you a face towel unless you ask. You’re required to leave your key at reception whenever you go out. One time I left the air conditioning on by mistake when I went to buy lunch. I was back in less than 20 minutes, planning to eat in the room, and noticed someone had entered while I was gone. Bruna said they’d gone in to turn it off, even though I had the key with me. They have a spare key but still insist that guests leave theirs. The owner arrogantly told me they had gone in other times to check whether anything had been left on. I didn’t get my room cleaned that day because I woke up late and left for lunch at 11, after the morning cleaning time. They have my phone number, and the respectful thing would have been to call and ask me to come back and turn off the air conditioning. Entering without permission felt like an invasion of privacy. I paid for the room, and I hadn’t left the key because my belongings were out and I didn’t want anyone going in. They didn’t respect that, and they keep entering even when it isn’t for cleaning. You won’t feel secure there. Don’t stay at this inn, even if it seems cheaper, because you’ll have problems. I had no respect from the staff or owners, and they were rude and sour-faced the whole time. The stay was awful.

The listing says breakfast is included, but that isn’t true. They charge R 22,00 reais per person to eat at another hotel. On the plus side, reception is open 24 hours. The bathrooms are cramped, and the air conditioners are old.

Pajuçara beach waterfront is about 100 mts away, and the street seems quiet. The place is clean, with simple rooms that are fair for the nightly price. The bedding is new and clean. There’s a minibar and an air conditioner that isn’t a split unit, but cools well. The TV is an old 14" set. The Wi-Fi signal in the rooms is almost nonexistent, which is unacceptable. There’s no private garage, so the car stays out front. Sras Socorro and Daniela deserve praise for their service. It’s a very good budget option, and I’ll definitely come back and recommend it.

The beach and waterfront are just a one-minute walk away, and the setting felt safe. Staff were very attentive, and everything was clean and well organized. Our room was spotless, had no mold, and felt very new. The bed was especially comfortable, which is rare at inns. They cleaned and aired the room every day, and it always smelled fresh. At the end of our stay, the owner gave us a lovely little gift, such a thoughtful gesture. We’ll stay here again when we return to Maceió. Highly recommend it.