Mercure Santos Hotel

The service was excellent, and breakfast was very good. The view was nice too. The room, though, had extremely minimal furniture. There were no bedside tables or lights within reach from the bed, and the switches were in odd places, so I had to try several before finding the right one. There was no usable outlet in the bathroom either, since the only one was occupied by the hair dryer.

Good food, lots of vegetables, and a rooftop pool with lovely views and a wide stretch of sea in front of you. The universal outlets in the rooms also take US and EU plugs, which is handy. Small annoyances do add up, though: the kettle lid wouldn’t close, and the public restroom stall had no latch. I was told the women’s restroom has the opposite issue, where you could lock yourself in by accident. It’s an average beach hotel, fine but not great. The views and pool make up for some of the minor hassles.

The room could use some renovation, but it was still comfortable enough. Breakfast was the usual Brazilian hotel spread, with different breads, cheeses, and a variety of fruit, which I liked. I only stayed overnight and expected a quiet room, but there was live music somewhere nearby. The windows barely kept the wind out, and the bass came through the building into the bed and pillows, so it took me quite a while to fall asleep.

I can’t comment on the rooms because I stayed at the hotel next door, but the common areas here were in pristine shape and the staff seemed nice, even with the furry convention I was attending. The location is amazing, right by the beach and near a couple of malls. From what I could see, it’s a great place.