Casa Baluarte

The breakfast on the upper terrace was my favorite part, and the location made it easy to walk wherever I needed to go. The cleaning ladies were lovely, the front desk was helpful, and Hassan was especially good with customer service. I stayed for 10 days. The shower was very cold, and the WiFi kept dropping, including in my room. I had to sit in the lobby to stay in touch with my family. At this price, I wouldn’t stay again, though I’d still recommend it if it fits your budget.

The breakfast each morning was cooked for us by the wonderful staff, and the common areas have a lot of charm. The location is nice too. But be prepared for a genuinely tiny standard room. Ours looked nothing like the online photos, with no room between the bed and the walls. The outlets were either high on the wall or so loose the plug kept falling out, and the bathroom outlet didn’t work. You have to turn sideways to use the toilet. There was mold in the shower, and I had a bad coughing fit every time I showered. The water is cold only, which I learned is typical for the region after looking it up. On our last day, there was no water at all. When we asked what had happened, it seemed clear there had been an issue with the renovations. Construction went on during the day and into the evening. The Christmas lights were pretty, but they flashed all night and kept us awake. The owners should have closed during the renovations. A room should have water, a basic necessity when you’re paying to stay there.

The beds are comfortable, the rooms clean, the breakfast good, and the staff friendly. It’s a shame there’s construction going on as rooms are renovated. There’s a lot of noise from 10am to 4pm, so resting or napping during those hours is impossible unless you sleep very heavily. The staff have little they can do about the situation. I imagine the work may continue for the next couple of months.

We booked on November 30th for a New Year’s Eve 2022 stay, and our reservation was confirmed. Then, two weeks before our trip, Casa Baluarte canceled it by email. We hadn’t canceled, and the hotel gave no reason. They said only that they were “at capacity” and that “the administration” had made the decision. Why wasn’t that clear when we booked? They also refused to connect us with anyone from administration to answer our questions. It felt very shady. I’ve never been so dissatisfied with customer service. If you’re planning to stay here, don’t count on your booking being secure. They may cancel shortly before your trip and leave you scrambling, so I’d find a backup. This hotel isn’t worth your money. Calling is difficult if you don’t speak Spanish, and they insist on handling issues through WhatsApp messages instead. Overall, horrible service.