Hotel Gavina Costa Mar

Downtown Iquique is right outside, with bars and restaurants within walking distance and the beach just a short stroll away. The hotel has also been recently renovated. My room looked lovely and was comfortable, and breakfast was well prepared with a good range of choices. The staff were incredibly friendly and helpful throughout. Street-side rooms can be a little noisy, but it barely affected my stay. I highly recommend it for the location and welcoming atmosphere.

The location and staff are great, which makes the state of the hotel itself such a shame. It badly needs a renovation or refit. The owner seems to be trying to get as much out of the property as possible with little investment, while charging a high price and delivering mainly on staff and location. The lift's button for floor 6 didn't work, so I had to go to floor 7 and walk down. The single-glazed windows fit badly, and I could hear everything on the street as if they were open. There were rusted bathroom fittings, plus paint spots and spills everywhere from what looked like the last cheap paint job. For what they charge, the hotel itself is a disgrace.

We paid USD180 per night in July, during winter, and I thought that was overpriced. We'd booked two sea-facing rooms and I'd specifically requested high floors, but that request was ignored. Our room was on the 3rd floor, with the restaurant roof in the way. You could see the sea by looking to the right, so technically it did face the sea.

Good service and a great location. Rooms seem to vary, but ours was fine and very clean. I took off a star because there were no parasols at the pool, so enjoying the nice view meant sitting in full sun.