Edificio Vanessa 42 - Habitaciones Privadas

We booked through Airbnb, listed there as the Alexander, at the last minute after our flight home was canceled. The staff were courteous and helpful, and the host communicated well. We got a very good price, but the photos didn’t reflect the facility’s condition. The rooms were dirty and worn out. Towels were mismatched and had large beige stains, and there were stains on the bed and part of the sectional couch. The walls had mold, and our balcony faced an abandoned lot where junk was stored. Apparently stray dogs hang out there at night. The entry doors are aluminum storefront doors with blackout plastic over the glass, but light still gets in. The mattress sagged badly, like one in grandma’s spare room, and the shower was just a low-pressure misting head. Breakfast was included. The waitress was friendly but didn’t speak English. I’m not sure whether there was a menu, but we got Fruit Loops, coffee, and a bologna sandwich. There are plunge pools on the roof, though we didn’t use them. The place is near 5th, but there isn’t much right next door. There are two sides to the hotel: one uses card fobs, the other still has traditional keyed cylinder locks. I’d suggest paying a little more for somewhere better, or looking closely at the photos posted with this review first.