Ocean Zen Suites on 5th Avenue - Adults Only

Before we arrived, they replied to messages quickly. Once we were there, though, it felt like we were on our own. I had to email for shampoo after not being able to reach reception. They did refill it, but never answered the email. I thought our room would have a balcony, which would have changed its feel, and there were only two pillows on the bed. We never found beach access. The stay was okay, nothing special, but the mismatch with what we expected felt like a bait and switch.

We were excited about staying here, but the room’s condition was alarming. On arrival, the receptionist mentioned a leak, and we found the whole floor wet with mold beside the air conditioner. We worried about slipping or having an asthma attack or lung infection, and I wish they’d warned us beforehand. We asked to move, were told there were no other rooms, and left. After a long day of travel, we lost a lot of time dealing with this. I messaged to request a full, prompt refund and got no reply. I escalated it to booking.com, whose automatic response said they’d resolve it within 24 hours, but they didn’t. In the end, I had to contact American Express to do a chargeback.

The walk to the beach was pleasant and convenient, and the hotel was a short distance from the busy downtown, which I liked. But the infinity pool was much smaller than it looked in the pictures, and the bed was very firm. There was only a thin sheet, no comforter. It may be warm there, but nights can get into the 60s, so we had to ask for blankets. We couldn’t get hot water. The front desk guy just called it “tricky,” but if three people can’t sort it out, that’s a serious issue. I can’t imagine staying a week that way. The eco claims also seemed exaggerated: there are three solar panels, and I doubt they power the A.C., though perhaps they contribute a little. Recycled rainwater is nice, but I think that’s common where drinking water is less available. The place mostly felt like a scam to me.

The location on Google Maps is off, the hotel is a little closer to the beach. The area seemed a bit dodgy, though it could have been worse. The place itself felt run down and could use paint and refurbishment. We had very low water pressure, making it hard to shower properly or even brush our teeth, and there was no hot water. The pillows were hard and lumpy, so new ones would make a real difference. It was disappointing, since the place has the potential to be great.