Punta Sal Suites & Bungalows Resort

My son’s present did turn up, and he was so happy to get it. Still, it had gone missing during the Christmas celebration, which spoiled Christmas for us, and I hope they can make it up to him. Let’s see. The ocean view is lovely, the rooms are comfortable, and the balcony is a nice touch. Staff were excellent, pleasant, and friendly. The pool is awesome, and it’s cute watching the little foxes around the place. The Christmas event could have been better for us. As a Peruvian who loves ceviche, I couldn’t find a good one here, even though there’s a variety of fish. I also love coffee, but the machine didn’t make a good cappuccino. Better coffee at breakfast would help.

The beach is the best you’ll find for the price, and it’s very clean, with a private feel since there are no other hotels around. The pool and facilities seem brand new, breakfast is fresh with a good variety, the gym is well equipped, and reception service was great. Our bungalow was split in two, with an interior door separating us from other guests. We could hear everything through it, which undercut the privacy we expected. Ask about privacy when choosing a bungalow. The rooms are very basic for the price and don’t include the amenities you’d get at other hotels. Lunch and dinner are overpriced for the quality; my ceviche tasted spoiled and was really bad. WiFi didn’t reach our room, and some bar waiters seemed more focused on their phones than on customers.

The facilities were in good condition and well maintained, but the unreliable service, communication problems, and extra charge overshadowed our stay. I hope management addresses these issues for guest satisfaction and smoother operations. At reservation, I was charged an unexpected extra USD 95, even though staff had the correct quote days before we arrived. We gave them all the documents needed for a refund, but never got the money back. The WhatsApp number provided for booking activities only returned a chatbot, with no human response or real booking option. Water was hard to get. For two people, we received just two complimentary 250 ml bottles on the first day, and they were never replenished. Water was available at breakfast, but not offered at lunch or dinner. When we asked, we had to repeat the request to several servers and wait as long as 20 minutes. Food or snacks requested outside breakfast, lunch, or dinner were often delayed by more than 30 minutes, and staff frequently ended up saying the item wasn’t available anymore. The all-inclusive drinks varied a lot in alcohol content, sometimes too strong and often watered down. Room service requests were refused because staff said they were too busy. The airport shuttle had no set pickup time, so we waited in the lobby for 40 minutes, and it left late.

We had a great weekend and couldn’t have chosen a better hotel. The pools never felt crowded, and neither did the beach access. Breakfast buffet was really good, and the lunch and dinner food was definitely worth it too. Everyone was incredibly kind and helpful, especially Carlos at the main restaurant. We were there for a birthday, and they thoughtfully brought out a delicious cake as a courtesy. If we return to Tumbes (Punta Sal), this will definitely be our first choice.