Arthemis Hotel e Pousada

Really bad hotel and staff. Stay away.

I stayed from 12/09 to 15/09. The hotel has changed its name and is under new management. It's now called Hotel Mirante do Pelo. Breakfast is no longer offered, and they're renovating the rooms and the property itself. It's a simple, currently two-star hotel, but close to a lot. Lacerda is a two-minute walk away, and the metro is about 15 minutes on foot. The Itaú bikes are a six-minute walk away. The museums are one minute away, and Praia da Barra is 20 minutes away by bus. The bus stop is two blocks away and drops you near Farol da Barra. Within 3 km, you can visit around 60% of Salvador's attractions. If you're after a simple stay in a place near everything, this is it.

The views of the Baía de Todos os Santos from the apartments are beautiful, and the location is excellent for visiting Pelourinho and the historic and commercial center. But the rooms don't have air conditioning, room service was inefficient, and there's no parking. If you're renting a car, safe parking in the historic center is very expensive. Getting into the rooms also depends on staff answering a doorbell. At times it felt awkward to keep ringing and waiting for someone to let guests in. If comfort and convenience matter to you, this hotel isn't a good choice. If you mainly want somewhere affordable and well located, it could suit you.

The location in Pelourinho's center is handy, close to all the monuments, and the view over Baía de Todos os Santos is wonderful. That's the only reason the price felt worthwhile to us. The place has so much potential, but it's poorly managed and the building isn't well cared for. My room had no window, which was almost unbelievable, and the bathroom was tiny and old. In my view, it doesn't come close to meeting the requirements of a hotel.