Hotel Mágico del Mar

The staff were very friendly, and the price was cheap enough. Still, the hotel feels well past its prime.

Service stood out from the start. I contacted them by phone, and they followed up; everyone was friendly, explained things clearly, and offered options. The rooms are clean, with beautiful paintings in them and along the hallways, giving the hotel a welcoming, unusual feel. It's in good condition and seems to be getting improvements. There's a small pool with a lovely view of the boardwalk. It isn't heated, which is nice on the hot days that are common here. Parking is available, but we couldn't use it because the lot was full during Carnival. Thanks to the whole wonderful staff, and I hope they keep up the good work.

Maybe we just had bad luck. The room was small and wasn't cleaned during our stay. The toilet wobbled a lot, and it took a long time for the hot water to come through. Parking was outside and cost $100. They also wouldn't let us use the pool.

When I checked in, I didn't get the room they'd offered me by phone. The staff were distracted, talking about other things instead of helping. Later, they shut the main door without telling us or giving us the code. Three families were left outside; our calls went unanswered, and it took a long time before someone let us in.