Big Ralph's Hostal & Restaurant

For six years we’ve eaten here, and the quality and service have kept getting better. I’ve never had a bad meal, and the owners and their family have always made us feel welcome. They should be the standard other restaurants aim for. If you’re in Salinas and skip this place, that’s your loss. Sad to see the owners go back to England.

Our stay ended up being a long one because we kept changing our plans. Ralph and his wife were great and helped us a lot. The food is really good, and the place is secure and quiet, with great beds and staff.

Ralph really knows how to cook, the meals were fantastic. This was our second year here, and we stayed again at the hostel at the back. It was super clean, with good beds and pillows, TV and air con. There’s also a private bar in the courtyard.

We paid $40 for a double room with a private bathroom. It was clean, with air conditioning, hot water, and good mattresses, though the common area was tiny and there was no kitchen or fridge. It’s at least 10 blocks from the malecon, and I probably wouldn’t come back. The worst part was an offer from people I think were the owner’s parents to drive us to the "Chocolatera." They said they knew the place and insisted, so we went, even though I wasn’t sure. They showed us around kindly and the round trip took 30 minutes. When we got out of the car, he said, "You owe me $15." What? I’d thought he was doing it for free, even though I planned to tip him. I was furious with him for the rest of my stay. I should have checked first. Lesson learned. El señor and the señora seemed very friendly. They said, "deja que los lleve, a el no le cuesta nada," and that he could take us there and back. I trusted them, and that’s what I get. If I’d known it would cost that much, I’d have rather not gone.