Hotel Kennedy Nova

The location is perfect, and that’s about the only good thing. The AC was moldy, and I’ve been sick for three days. They did move me when I asked to change rooms, but room service left a bottle of water on the desk, then a receptionist came by three minutes later and asked if everything was okay. When I said, “I think so,” he asked to take the water because it was for another guest. Just one bottle, not dinner or some luxury hamper. The room photos are attached. Calling this a four-star hotel is a joke, and even one star feels too generous. The bed is a joke too. There wasn’t even a key for the safe, so I couldn’t secure my documents or money. I’ve stayed in many places around the world, and this was easily the worst.

We spent five nights at Hotel Kennedy Nova, and it fell well short of a four-star stay. My girlfriend and I are pretty modest and not demanding, and I rarely post negative reviews because I know they can affect a business, but this experience really warranted one. The breakfast buffet ran from 7 to 10 AM, but at 7, when we arrived as it opened, the food was already cold. The bacon was soggy, the eggs watery, and even the potatoes were ice-cold. Nothing tasted fresh; it all seemed cheap and store-bought. The water glasses were tiny, so we tried filling our 500 ml bottle instead of making repeated trips. A staff member stopped us abruptly and said, “If you want water, you buy water.” When we asked why, she rudely said the hotel paid for the water, so guests had to pay too. We’d already paid for breakfast, which presumably included water. The policy made no sense, and her attitude was unacceptable. Our first night began with repeated power cuts and a fire alarm that kept sounding. The room was badly maintained: the shower looked like it hadn’t been cleaned in ages, the AC was covered in mold, the fridge was broken, and the safe didn’t work. The beds were so uncomfortable we could feel the springs. We also saw cockroaches. The toilet barely flushed, and two people had to wait between uses so they wouldn’t see each other’s waste. Our balcony looked into the building at other guests’ balconies, with no real view. A sign at reception said the hotel wouldn’t take responsibility for guests’ belongings if they weren’t kept in the safe. That made us feel unsafe, as if they weren’t interested in basic security. Our room was also connected to another room without any warning, so we could hear everything through the doors and walls. That may not have been entirely the hotel’s fault, but other guests played loud music at 3 AM, ran through the halls, and kept slamming doors. Staff seemed unaware, and the noise made a bad stay even worse. Between the dirty room, awful food, rude service, and constant noise, I’d strongly advise against staying here.

The location was okay, but the room was poor for what this hotel costs. The drawers and wardrobe weren’t clean, breakfast was bad, and it was noisy. The AC and Wi-Fi didn’t work, and the staff weren’t helpful. Worst hotel I’ve stayed at for this kind of price.

I stayed for a week in August 2025, and it was one of the worst hotel experiences I’ve had in 40 years. The staff didn’t seem to have much tourism knowledge. They didn’t even know where St. James Cathedral was, and their conduct wasn’t professional. Breakfast was extremely basic, and staff served the food with the same hands they used to wipe the tables. The TV was all static and couldn’t be adjusted. There was no lifeguard at the swimming pool. The room still used a metal key, and you couldn’t lock the door from inside. Noise from guests and their luggage in the middle of the night was unbearable. I wouldn’t recommend it to anybody.