Hotel Vista Oceana

The women were sweet and we loved the location, but we came back around midnight to find what looked like a murder scene at the front gate, with a huge amount of blood. There was no staff on site overnight, so we tiptoed around it to get to our room. The safe was also beeping loudly without stopping. We’d asked earlier in the day for someone to fix it, but no one came. We left everything in the room because we didn’t want to drag our luggage through the blood, then called the hotel and receptionist without getting an answer. We went to a hostel down the street instead. When we returned at 10am to collect our things, a lot of blood was still being cleaned up. We asked for a refund for the night we spent at the hostel and haven’t heard back. We have videos of the blood and the beeping safe. It was a horrible end to the night and our stay.

The room was clean, our things felt safe, and the air conditioning worked really well. We also liked being close to the beach and the center of Sayulita, and the staff were kind when we were kind to them. We booked because it was cheap, so in that sense you get what you pay for. The biggest problem was the noise. Thursday through Sunday, the bar downstairs had DJs playing until 3, 4, or 5 a.m. Earplugs and noise-cancelling headphones barely helped. We tried staying out as late as possible on those nights. Monday to Wednesday was more manageable, and a small band played until around 11:30, with much better music. Wi-Fi didn't reach our room, and I think the only modem was on the roof. We had a SIM card and data, so we got by, but without that it would've been a major nuisance. There was no hand soap at the sink, just watered-down body wash that barely lathered in the shower. The shower was separate from the sink, and our showerhead was rusty and sprayed water in every direction. The room was cleaned every third day, between 9 and 11 a.m. There are some things they could improve.

I was hoping for a decent place to relax, but the room didn't match the photos. It had almost no natural light, the toilet was inside the shower, and one of the sheets was dirty. I could've accepted that while backpacking, but not at this price. They charge too much for what they provide, and the pictures promise more than you get. The noise warnings in other reviews are real. I stayed a week and slept horribly. I know the hotel can't control what's happening outside, but they could at least warn guests, leave earplugs, or improve the doors. They don't seem to care. I was very disappointed.

I left early and found somewhere else to stay. That's how bad it was. The advertised sea view from my room was blocked by trees when I arrived, and the room was in poor condition, with mold throughout and a towel that had a hole in it. Noise made sleeping impossible, even with earplugs. Music went on all night, and I even heard it at 7 a.m., along with construction. The air conditioner was extremely loud, like an airplane engine. When mine was off, I could hear the units in neighboring rooms, and mine made the room smell disgusting too. This was the worst hotel I've ever stayed in. Stay far away.