Hostal Tropicana

The internet was the fastest we’d had in a long time, and it was very reliable. The rooms are really big, with air conditioning, and there’s a pool, though it wasn’t very clean. I went in anyway. It’s a bit run down, but the family running this little hotel are friendly. There’s no hot water, but the water wasn’t cold either, and even though I’m particular about hot showers, I was fine after both of mine. The on-site restaurant serves amazing, inexpensive food. We kept ordering $4 steaks, and I’d recommend the $2 strawberry frozen slushie. Breakfast was great too, $3 with coffee or tea included. A huge supermarket is a couple of blocks away for anything else you need. If you’re on a budget and staying in San Salvador, I’d pick this place.

Staff were there around the clock and did their best to communicate, though nobody spoke English. The sheets were clean and the cable worked. The hostel was dingy, with cold water, noisy neighbors at 3 a.m., and a pool that seemed questionable. It cost $25 a night. The neighborhood is fairly nice, with restaurants just around the corner and a supermarket where there are plenty of taxis. It’s a 3 km walk to San Salvador’s town center, including the national church and old government building.

After I spoke directly with the manager, I was told our reservation was guaranteed and that a room would be waiting. We traveled from another country and arrived at the agreed time, only to be told there were no rooms. The manager said they hadn’t held it because most people who reserve don’t show up, so they didn’t trust us to either. The worst part was how little they cared. No apology, no offer to help or call another place, just a shrug and “hope you find somewhere else.” We had to go all over town under stress, looking for a hotel with last-minute availability. Maybe it worked out better, since the photos they sent were very outdated. The place looked nothing like them and was extremely run down and dirty.

The food was good and the prices were good too. The place is a little old, but the crew were nice and kind.