Hotel Boutique Santa Elena

The staff were friendly and the location was good, but the room needs an upgrade. The mattress was springy, and the fan squeaked so loudly it was hard to sleep. Because the room was in such poor condition, we could only stay one night.

Both breakfast options were really tasty. The people working there were friendly and helpful, especially the nice guy with glasses at the front desk. We loved staying there, and the location was great.

That place was a shathole. I hated it. We paid 530 pesos a night plus a booking fee and definitely didn't get what we paid for, even though it's central. We got in close to midnight after a long bus ride, and I knew it was a nightmare as soon as we walked in, but we were too exhausted to look elsewhere. It stank of strong insect repellent, mothballs, old cigarette smoke, and mould. The bathroom taps and shower head looked covered in mould. At least the shower was hot and the AC worked well, which helped with the smell a little, but not much. I'm pretty sure we inhaled enough spores in that one night to last a lifetime. This should be 1 star, not 2.

The location is amazing, right in the town center, and the staff are very friendly. They speak limited English, but enough to get by. Breakfast was good, and they have tour packages. The room was bare bones, as you'd expect for the price. A decent hotel and a good place to stay.