Hostel Recife Sol e Mar

This place was filthy, with dust and mold everywhere, and nowhere near five-star quality. Half the hotel has been updated to current standards, while the other half feels stuck 30 years in the past. I booked an upper-floor room through Agoda, but check-in went badly and I was assigned a classic family room instead. The difference in room specifications is huge. There was dirt and grime all over the room, mold in the shower, and mold growing on the window curtains. I've stayed in three-star hotels that were far better. They'd put a single-bed mattress protector on a double bed, so the edges of the mattress are exposed. I raised all of these issues with the hotel, but they said there was nothing they could do.

The breakfast was delicious and had plenty of options, and the staff there were really committed. Gisele at reception made sure we had everything we needed, and Luis was also very attentive. Eduarda gave us a warm welcome when we checked in, and our room was excellent. The rest of the staff were attentive too. Dinner at the Brasserie was the one letdown. We didn't try the Mirage since it's being renovated. Still, my husband and I had a great stay. Thanks to everyone on the staff.

I love this hotel and the people who work here. Such a great place, with amazing employees. I stayed for many days and would gladly come back for even longer. Amazing!

The rooms looked nothing like the photos and felt outdated, which left a sour note on our last night in Brazil. We had reserved a room for a couple on an upper floor, but were given a classic twin room with two beds instead. Staff said Agoda had made the booking incorrectly and wouldn't honor our reservation. Even if Agoda got it wrong, a hotel that presents itself as five star could have changed our room and offered better customer service. They didn't.