Hotel Punto 4

This place was horrendous. There was a dead water bug on its back as soon as we walked in, and construction dust covered floors that looked like they hadn't been swept. The shower was just a hose sticking out of the wall, with no warm water. The toilet took ages to refill after flushing, so you had to fill the tank yourself to flush again. We had to pay an extra $9 a day for air conditioning. We left it running so the room would be cool when we got back, since it was like an oven, but the manager shut off our power whenever we went out. He said the AC payment covered only twelve hours a day, not all day, which was ridiculous. The doors weren't sealed properly, maybe his energy costs wouldn't be so high if they were. One day the power had been shut off, and the only person there was the "maid," who I use that term very loosely. When we asked her to turn on the AC, she claimed we hadn't paid, which was a lie, but eventually she turned it on. There was a massive ant infestation. The staff had ridiculous attitudes, and the doors had locks but no knobs. They said they cleaned every two days, but didn't explain that we had to hand in our key to get the room cleaned. We ended up changing our own sheets because that was all that ever got done. We weren't expecting a five-star Western experience, but the basics were lacking, and that's down to cheap management. WiFi hardly ever worked; we had to stand by the door or go outside to get a signal. At night, anyone passing by the window could see straight through the curtains if there was any light on in the room.

I liked this place enough to come back for five days at the end of my trip, after starting out here. I felt welcome and safe, even if not everyone would agree with my rating. It’s a good budget option, with easy access to downtown and the beach about a 20-minute walk away. It sits on the edge of the “city,” which is handy if you want a feel for local culture. The Spanish owner speaks English and is willing to help if you need something. Punta Cana has some amazing sights to see!

27 Feb 24 Michele was lovely, kept the place clean, and made us feel welcome. The hotel itself is quaint, and you can see the manager is updating it bit by bit as he gets the money. He also seems burned out from dealing with picky Westerners and locals. Keep your expectations in check: if you want five-star accommodation, head to the beach and pay for it. This isn’t a place for Westerners expecting luxury.

The building seems to leak in several places. Our first bathroom flooded the next day when water came through the ceiling and light switch. We were mostly ignored until we kept pushing, and then they moved us to another room, where the toilet leaked too. The shower was an icy, rusty pipe from the wall, there was no hot water, and the clear bathroom windows offered no privacy, especially on the top floor. At night the curtains didn’t block people looking in, so we hung towels up. The wifi didn’t work, the kitchen wasn’t really usable, and the rooms didn’t feel secure. The bed was old and badly worn, the pillows were practically just puffed fabric, and the rooms were dirty and smelled strongly of mould. Staff generally acted like they didn’t care. Micheal was very nice, but Perla was dreadful, lazy, and seemed sorry to be alive. Construction started early outside the rooms, with drilling, grinding, and hammering while guests were sleeping. When people complained, they were brushed off. The location was poor, and we didn’t feel safe going out for dinner at night. My partner and I often travel on a budget, but this was the worst cheap accommodation we’ve come across. Stay away and spend a little more.