Curaçao Airport Hotel

The staff were helpful and very friendly from my booking on booking.com through checkout before heading back to the airport. Communication was good, and both check-in and checkout went smoothly. My room was spacious, with clean towels and sheets, which are the main things I want for an overnight stop. The runway view was okay from the balcony or the restaurant. The pool area looked relaxing, though I didn't use it. Think of it as an airport motel and you won't be disappointed.

The shuttle driver was late, and an apology didn't make that acceptable. Apart from being close to the airport, the property was completely unacceptable to me. It felt more like a motel than the hotel advertised, and my room wasn't furnished as shown: no nightstand, just one tiny bathroom bin, and several promised amenities missing. There were serious safety and upkeep problems. The balcony door wouldn't lock securely, the main door latch was broken, the toilet didn't flush properly, and the shower took over five minutes to get even lukewarm. At 7 a.m. I could hear staff laughing and talking loudly. When I asked the kitchen staff for something to put food in, I was told there would be a charge.

My mum's room was acceptable, and the service at the hotel itself was okay, but the airport transfers left a very bad impression. The advertised three-minute distance is misleading. Walking may technically be possible, but the pavements are poorly maintained and it felt unsafe, so guests have little real choice beyond taking a taxi. She was charged $20 for the under-five-minute ride from the airport. For the return, reception quoted $10, but when the driver arrived he demanded $15. The drivers seemed to set their own prices, which felt misleading and unacceptable. Some were also rude and wouldn't help with luggage. My mum had stayed overnight before an early flight the next day.

I cancelled my reservation, but they still charged me the full amount. I explained that Venezuela was my final destination and that it wasn't safe to travel there at the moment. Many airlines aren't flying to Venezuela. They should take that situation into account.