Retaj Moroni Hotel

We paid only $60 a night when we came, and the service was good. The receptionist was friendly and handed us the key. It’s an unusual setup: you use a real house style key to get into your room, and that key only opens one door. The pool and gym were both awesome, and it worked really well for a family. The trees did block the ocean view.

The room facilities and food are generally good. WiFi can be very weak at times. Given the limited facilities in that country, what’s available here seems adequate.

I was waiting for my flight to the mainland the next day. The place was quiet and spacious, with a good ocean view. But housekeeping was poor: I called the number from my room multiple times and got no answer. There was no exhaust or ventilation in the room, and mosquitoes were everywhere, though that’s true across the island. Apparently the hotel is owned by Qatar, so no alcohol is served or allowed.

The staff were friendly, but the hotel felt quite dated and could use a lot of TLC. The pool was inexplicably empty when I visited. Management took days to answer emails, if they replied at all, and they didn’t pick up the phone either. From what I’d read, this seemed to be the best hotel in Maroni. They told me they only accepted Visa cards. There was an ATM at reception, but it didn’t work.