Ribai Hotels Santa Marta

Check-in was easy and the staff were helpful. Breakfast was fine, and the room was clean with a comfortable bed, fresh sheets, clean towels, soap, and a functional bathroom. The TV had local channels. Wi-fi was slow in my room but still worked. My room faced the main road, so mornings were noisy.

The staff were excellent and extremely attentive, and the rooms were basic but serviceable. I stayed in three different rooms, and two had BBC air cons that made a loud buzzing noise, even when turned off. The walls and doors are very thin, so it was fairly noisy wherever you were in the hotel.

Andy at reception was the bright spot. She was friendly and genuinely helpful; without her, I’d have rated the place one star. The room was cramped, with a pillar right beside the bed that was easy to trip over. There was hardly any space, though the bathroom and room were clean, and there was a desk and somewhere to hang clothes. The TV and Wi-Fi worked. We had no hot water at first, but they fixed it. Breakfast was included, but there was no menu, not even in Spanish. When I explained that I only knew a little Spanish, the woman just stared and kept talking quickly. Google Translate didn’t improve her attitude. I did get breakfast, but not the things I could see other guests receiving. The staff came across as arrogant and uninterested in helping an English-speaking traveler. I’ve been on the road for three months, staying in two- and three-star hotels, and have been treated better elsewhere. They seemed happy to speak with native Spanish speakers. I tried with my broken sentences. I’m retired and know my language skills aren’t good, but I wasn’t rude. Four days here were a bad experience, especially after I’d been looking forward to a better class of place. I wouldn’t recommend it unless you speak good Spanish, then perhaps they’ll put up with you.

The rooms are on the small side, which worked fine for a solo traveler like me. The front desk and breakfast team were very friendly, and the cleaning staff kept the entire hotel exceptionally clean. I’d definitely come back.