Hotel Casa Carmen

Even with such a central location, the hotel was peaceful inside. The courtyard is beautiful, with lovely plants, and the room was clean with a nice hot shower. Staff were very helpful, and the señora made a simple but tasty breakfast and was happy to serve more. It was a great stay.

Breakfast was included and really good, with enough choices, and the house courtyard is probably its prettiest spot. My bed was great, and the shower, toilet, and sink all worked properly, but the room needs serious updating, especially the restroom. The space between the toilet and the roll holder was terribly uncomfortable. The place is cozy and quaint, the staff very kind, and the price fair for the location, though still a bit high for the room's actual comfort. I stayed on a Saturday night in July, and nearby music went on very late. With no blinds, early light flooded the room and made it hard to get decent rest.

Update: The hotel replied below, but I checked my email repeatedly that night and again before editing this review, and there was no email. I won't post screenshots of my WhatsApp conversation with the manager. Given what happened, “harsh” is the least I can say. We had discussed the room several times, yet no one warned me, even at the last minute, so I could find another hotel or have a different room ready. I work in tourism too. When something goes wrong, you try to make it right or at least apologize. I got neither. This isn't normally how I speak, but I hope this helps someone else avoid the same experience. Thank you for your hospitality. I booked the penthouse by phone and email with Cynthia, though I'm not sure what her role at the hotel is. After several emails, she confirmed the room had working air conditioning and said I would need to take the stairs. That was fine. She asked me to call when I was on my way to check in. On the day, I called as requested and spoke to Carla, the hotel manager. I repeatedly asked whether the AC worked, and she assured me it did. She said she wouldn't be there and a worker would show me the room. Carla had two hours before I arrived to check the unit and let me know if there was a problem, even at the last minute, but instead she just repeated that the room had air conditioning. When I got upstairs, the windows were open, and the room was dusty and rusty. The AC controller looked untouched for a long time. The worker blew dust off it and tried again and again to turn it on, but nothing happened. He called Carla several times and got no answer; I messaged her too, with no reply. He eventually got it running, but dust blew out along with very hot air. It clearly didn't work and looked like it hadn't been used in ages. San Miguel was packed that night, apparently because of Memorial Day and the San Miguel celebrations. I had to walk around asking hotels if they had a room. I was alone, barely spoke Spanish, and was trying to find somewhere to stay at night in a foreign city. Carla replied to my WhatsApp an hour later and said she'd turned on the AC before leaving and it had been perfect. There was no apology. I felt gaslighted by the hotel manager. A couple of days later, I still had no real response or apology. I told Carla I wouldn't wish that situation on her or anyone else, especially a woman alone in a city she'd just arrived in. Luckily, I found a hotel, but had to pay $380 for the night. My disappointment isn't about the hotel or its location; it's about the lies and the way I was treated. The worker was kind and showed far more respect and concern than the manager. If I could give zero stars, I would. Please be careful about booking the penthouse. I don't care about luxury; I only needed a room with working air conditioning. It was nearly 100 Fahrenheit that day, and I have breathing issues. I'm still waiting for a real apology, though I probably won't get one.

We found our go-to place for stays in San Miguel, and we'll definitely be back. It's just a block from the Centro Jardin, with clean, pleasant rooms and a beautiful, peaceful interior courtyard. Breakfast was outstanding. Thanks for such a lovely experience!