PUNTA ESMERALDA Hotel Boutique

The photos don’t show what the place is really like. There were no towels, the TV and AC didn’t work, and the Wi-Fi only worked in the lobby or outside. The shower head was rusty and there was mold everywhere. The neighborhood is very run down. I tried to change hotels, but they have a no-refund policy. If I could rate it negative ten, I would.

The prices were reasonable, the AC in our room was great, and the clientele went out of their way to answer questions and offer recommendations. Everyone was so welcoming and friendly that we loved our stay. It’s quite far from the center of town, but we still have no regrets. We’d love to come back someday.

The only good thing was the rooftop terrace with its outdoor pool. The first room had a lot of mold on the wall beside the bed and up in the bathroom. We couldn’t get much peace either. Our first-floor room was beside the stairs, and every morning the noise from the so-called breakfast buffet was very loud. Plain bread with a little butter and coffee barely counts as breakfast. Construction outside went on all day, and I was sick and stuck in bed for two days. We asked to move to a room farther back on another floor. The staff barely spoke English, so we had to use a translator, and the new room on the third floor was no quieter. Staff slammed doors, talked loudly, and laughed early in the morning. Then they accidentally gave other guests the keys to our new room, and those guests walked in while we were in bed. A big no-go. I can’t really recommend this hotel because of all the constant noise.

The neighborhood was noisy in the evenings. Our room was okay for getting by, with a fridge, TV, and air conditioning, but the bathroom smelled so bad that we kept spraying perfume in it. Breakfast was meant to start at 8AM, but coffee wasn’t available until around 8:20 to 8:30. One boy was left to prepare breakfast every day.