Mango Suites - Isabela

The rooms have enough space and the staff are friendly and helpful. There's not much parking out front, but the buffet breakfast was quite good. Call ahead to reserve, since the hotel seems to fill up often, perhaps with travelers stopping before heading farther north.

We had three rooms, and every bathroom had drainage problems. The sinks wouldn't drain, so I had to spit into a bowl while brushing my teeth, and the shower floors flooded. It didn't leave you feeling clean. The towels also looked dirty. Outside traffic made it noisy, and the blinds were so thin I wondered if people could see in. Breakfast buffet, though, was good. We loved it!

The location is easy to reach by public transport, right on the main road with tricycles nearby. The front desk staff were helpful when my keycard stopped working, and replaced it quickly, though it was frustrating at the time. When we arrived early, the receptionist let us have lunch and charge it to the room once check-in opened. Our room was clean, with a roomy bed and hot and cold shower. The amenities aren't at a five-star level, and there were no slippers, so bring your own. For the price, it was affordable, and I always sleep comfortably here.

I've stayed long-term at a lot of Santiago City hotels, and this one is above average and much better value than Zen. The Deluxe rooms are spacious and the staff are polite, though Zen is worse and costs more. It's best to weigh things against the price and the other choices. I'd skip the cheapest rooms, which are dingy and miserable, and pay extra for a Deluxe room at the back to get less noise and actual pollution. The food is generally very good, but I'd avoid the breakfast buffet, especially if they try to serve it cold the next day. They only clean rooms every three days, and only if you ask.