Barcelo Isla Canela Hotel

The pool has plenty of loungers, so there’s room to spend the day in the sun or shade, and there’s entertainment if that’s your thing. The rooms were clean, the beds really comfortable, and everyone working there was friendly. It felt like a little paradise to me. I’ll be back, and a big thanks to the whole team.

We paid an absurd amount for a week in August and came away feeling badly let down. The facilities and service felt more like what you’d get at a 2- or 3-star city center hotel. Check-in was rushed, with no proper explanation, just staff pointing things out while hurrying through it all. There were repeated delays and services running at the wrong times, including meals and the pool. Our first room smelled foul from the shower. Three days into the stay, the cleaning crew left the shower drain open and had used our towels to clean up the mess. When we asked reception what was going on, we were told we had to move because of a pipe malfunction. It seemed obvious the issue was there before we checked in, but it had been ignored. The balcony drain was also clogged with mud and cigarette butts and was never cleaned. We had to pack everything up with our one-year-old to change rooms. The next room was moldy all over and faced the pool bar, where events went on every night until midnight. Our baby's sleep kept getting disrupted, and we barely rested. Most staff spoke only Spanish and made no effort to communicate in another language, even Portuguese, which is very similar. At the end, we put a complaint in the book, but the receptionist took more than 15 minutes to find it because she didn’t know where it was. A fake four-star trap.

The rooms were clean, though they weren’t in great shape. The food was good but nothing special. It’s a nice hotel, just not one I’d pick for a relaxing couples’ break.

Martha gave me an amazing massage, her hands were strong and expert. My sister had a lovely one with Maria as well. Thank you all 😃