TRYP by Wyndham Cuenca Zahir

Don't use the laundry service! They charged me $96 for a week's worth of clothes. I've never paid more than $20 anywhere in South America. Beforehand, I asked what it would cost, and the man at reception only said vaguely that it depended on how many clothes there were. When I saw the bill and said nobody had told me the prices, he said I should have checked the form in the closet. Why didn't he give it to me when I asked? The bathroom had a faint septic smell, and opening its window for ventilation meant climbing onto the counter. There was also a lot of noise from the street and stadium. The Wi-Fi link they gave me didn't work, so I had to ask reception twice to put my phone and laptop on the other "VIP" network.

The staff were pleasant, helpful, and really nice to deal with. Housekeeping won't take a tip unless you leave a note, which I loved for the honesty. The room itself was beautiful, and the solarium was a nice spot to relax morning or evening. The bed was comfortable, but it got warm during the day with no A/C. Traffic, construction, alarms, horns, and other noise came through, and the walls are paper thin. There was no fridge, microwave, iron, coffee maker, or ice or ice bucket either. This was our first time in Ecuador, so that's just my personal preference.

The historic center and cathedral are just a short walk away, and we really enjoyed that location. The manager, Oscar Fuentes, knew how to address our needs and concerns and made sure our visit was memorable. His staff were helpful in every way, and Oscar kept reminding us about live events on the rooftop. Great hotel, and I'd recommend it for a visit to Cuenca, Ecuador. Ask for Oscar Fuentes, he made our stay comfortable and memorable.

The included "Free Buffet Breakfast" was a mess. We came down at 8:30am and found barely anything left, with waiters rushing around. One bumped our table, apologized, and said they were short staffed. It wasn't what I'd expect from a hotel with an American name, and this isn't actually a Wyndham. The room was dirty too, with hair on the bathroom floor, in the shower, and in the sink. We stayed only one night, so I didn't bring it up. Check-in staff were friendly, but the man on duty in the afternoon was rude and didn't acknowledge customers. Before booking, the receptionist said only double beds were available, so we paid 160 for a two-bed room. When we got the key, the room had one bed, which was what we'd originally wanted, but they didn't refund the difference at checkout. I had also asked the day before for a piece of cake for my partner's birthday at 8:00am, as a surprise, and texted a reminder. I heard nothing until checkout, so there was no surprise. After checkout I texted them my complaints; they said they'd get back to me, but a month later I still hadn't heard anything. If you pay for something and don't get it, complain right away or you may never get your money back. You're better off booking somewhere else.