4a Calle Poniente

The place could have been recommendable if it were managed better. The receptionist was new and unsure what to do, so I spent 40 minutes waiting while he was on the phone with the owner before I could check in. She asked for $30 per night, even though Booking showed $27 for a double room for two people for two nights. Later, she showed up and demanded cash immediately, without giving me a chance to go to the cash machine just five minutes away. She also charges a 25% commission for card payments, saying it’s the bank’s fee, though I haven’t been charged a commission anywhere else in El Salvador. I was left to figure out the keys, Wi-Fi, bathroom, kitchen, and everything else on my own. Then the problems kept piling up: stained bed linen, no hot water in the shower, and a fan that didn’t work. I felt bad for the receptionist, who seemed thrown in at the deep end by an uninterested owner and was doing his best to sort things out. There’s just one shower and toilet together for all the rooms, dorms, and staff. I used the kitchen to make breakfast, and the owner and staff were unhappy about it and made me feel very uncomfortable. I spent my two days there hanging out in the room they gave me, which wasn’t the one I’d booked. The huge cockroach in the kitchen was the cherry on top. At night, if you turn on the bathroom light, dozens of them scatter in every direction. A horror movie.

The staff were all extremely kind, and I feel sorry for them. But I had a frightening experience with the new owner. After a dispute with booking.com, I was kept from leaving for several hours. I started banging on the door and calling for help, asking someone passing by to call the police. The owner then seemed worried about her reputation. When I filmed her shouting at me, she tried to grab my phone; I took it back and she yelled, “Don't touch me!!” I’m safe now, but I was trying to leave early because the room wasn’t what I had booked, and even getting in and out required someone to unlock the door from inside. It felt like a prison. This could have been settled amicably, but holding me there took it to another level. Do not book this hotel. I learned the good reviews may be from when it had a different owner. The new place I moved to, Hotel Velvet, turned out to be run by the previous owner. They told me they had owned this hotel before. Hotel Velvet is lovely. Read recent reviews and don’t rely on the older positive ones.

Sometimes you just have to cut your losses. I paid for the three booked nights and left, and the $26.46 was well worth getting out of there. I was lucky to have the exact amount because they wouldn't have had change. Don't expect a card option or to be let out easily, either, you're locked in. They also wanted another $12 a day for a locker key, towel, sheet, and cold shower. The WiFi didn't work in the dorm.

It was disappointing that they wouldn't keep our bags for a day while we went for a walk. Plenty of places offer that basic option. Also, if you choose a dorm or a room without its own bathroom, you have to share the bathroom and shower with more than 12 people.