Jacana Amazon Wellness Resort

The food was mediocre, and the hotel is constantly under construction. The noise and paint smells got a bit unbearable. Otherwise, it was good.

The restaurant and food were awful. Most dishes were over-fried and quite tasteless, and the hotel’s processes were inefficient, so dealing with the staff took several frustrating interactions. We stayed for a full week and had paid a cash deposit for amenities, but still couldn’t put restaurant expenses on our room. Most things had to be paid in cash as soon as we consumed them, for no apparent reason. The hotel looks nice at first, but that impression fades quickly once you deal with the staff. I’d like to see management review the policies and train staff, especially in the kitchen, on how to interact with guests.

We had a lovely day, and I enjoyed the visit enough to come back. My granddaughter had fun in the play area, and we all loved the pool. The lifeguards were keeping watch, and I saw them save a little girl from drowning. The serving staff were helpful and friendly, and the service was perfect. They let me bring a birthday cake and kept it in their fridge until we were ready to cut it. I celebrated my birthday there as a local, so I didn’t use the rooms. I love the hotel’s design, from the beautiful front desk to the unusual pool with its big waterfall. The garden and its plants and trees are well kept, and the upstairs dining room overlooks the pool. The bathrooms and dressing rooms looked very clean. Breakfast was delicious with plenty to choose from, including egg, waffle, and pancake stations, plus a good range of hot and cold drinks and desserts. The two women working in the breakfast area got overwhelmed when it became busy, and it got very warm in the dining room toward the end of breakfast. I’d suggest turning on the ceiling fans when guests are there. Food and drinks were good, though pricey for locals. My one complaint is the aquariums. They have beautiful, huge fish, but they were clearly overdue for cleaning and so overgrown with algae that you could hardly see the fish. The one in the dining area needs cleaning too. I felt sad for the animals.

I’ve stayed here twice, and both visits were very good. The hotel is nice and the pool is great. On my last stay in 2021, breakfast was good, while lunch and dinner were just meh. I’ve heard good things about it lately, so maybe they’ve made some changes.