Hoteles Gutiérrez Mansión Hotel

The room had a mold stain above the wardrobe. When we asked to switch rooms, reception said we'd have to pay for a night because we'd already "entered" it. That's absurd, since you can't see the mold without going inside. After arguing back and forth, they told us to pack up and leave. We waited almost an hour until 11 p.m. for our refund while the hotel argued with Booking.com on the phone about cancelling our stay. We eventually found a much cleaner room at another hotel for a similar price. The payment was another problem. Booking.com showed the price only in USD, but the hotel wouldn't accept USD by card. We had no USD cash, so we had to pay in soles at an inflated exchange rate, about 10% extra in cash and even more by card. At reception, the staff member barely acknowledged us and was watching some random YouTube video about basic math. Unprofessional service, dishonest pricing, and unacceptable behavior. Avoid this hotel!

The hotel itself was in awful condition, with mold all over the property and decor that was offensively ugly. The service was just as bad. We had contacted them three times before arriving to confirm early check-in, and each time they told us not to worry. After a grueling 24-hour bus ride with the Hoop Bus Peru, we got there at 5:00 AM, exhausted and hoping to sleep, but the hostel was locked up. When a very rude receptionist finally showed up, he said our room wouldn't be ready until 7:00 AM. I politely asked what we should do for those two hours and whether we could get in earlier, and his attitude got worse. After speaking with the owner, he said we had an "incorrect attitude" because they couldn't just "kick out" the guests who were there. We understood that, but why hadn't anyone warned us of that possibility when we'd asked three times? We were then told the room would be ready by 12:30 PM, so we agreed to wait. Then the receptionist changed his mind and told us to find another hotel. At 5:00 AM, after a full day of travel, we were left without a place to stay and without help or suggestions. Staff just kept repeating the same phrases. This was by far the worst hotel experience of my life. Do yourself a favor and stay away.

Arequipa is lovely, and there are plenty of other nice hotels with nice staff. Here, though, I arrived early and was asked to pay a $7 early check-in fee. I said it felt unprofessional and that I'd never had a hotel ask for an early fee before. I also said I planned to stay, but that asking for it would mean a bad review. The receptionist called the manager and then told me I couldn't stay there.

The place looked like renovations were underway, and there was still a long way to go. Outside the rooms, there were cables, tools, and washing machines, among other things you don't want to see in a hotel. I had confirmed three times that early check-in was available and that I'd arrive at 5:30 am. Someone eventually woke up, and the guy was rude and unpleasant. He seemed to be trying to teach me a lesson, though I don't know what he was aiming for. He called the owner three times but wouldn't let me speak to them. During the 45-minute discussion, he also changed his clothes. At first he said the room would be ready at 7, but then he insisted on the formal check-in time. Definitely not recommended.