Isara Boutique Hotel and Cafe

We booked three nights in a private pool villa at Isara Boutique Hotel, but left after one. Within 10 minutes of checking in, we were already wondering whether to go. The first-floor pool villa was disappointing, and I’d strongly caution others about booking it. Maybe some other rooms are in better shape. The villa had dingy towels, no bathroom door, plastic-wrapped remotes, marks on the walls, melted candles, broken shelves, and a mattress and pillows that were extremely uncomfortable. The padlock used to secure the room also felt odd and unsuitable for a hotel in this category. The café has moved, and the flower shop at the entrance looked tired and neglected, much like the rest of the property. Isara Boutique Hotel has seen better days.

The rooms are a little small, but fine for couples or friends. The location is awesome, with currency exchange, tour packages, cafés, shopping, and 7/11 nearby. Service was great too. They gave us 4 bottles of water each day, and the TV was a smart TV, something I haven’t seen in most hotels.

The place works for social media photos, but staying there was quite bad. Our mattress was old, stiff, and hard. The housekeepers were earnest but poorly trained, and hygiene was far below what I’d expect from a 3 star hotel chain. Stools, plant pots, mirrors, shower heads, curtains, and many other things were old and needed replacing. It felt like a themed hotel for a quick overnight and social media posting.

We chose Isara Boutique Hotel on a recommendation, but it seems to have gone downhill a lot over the past two years. The room was dirty, had a strong chemical smell, and had no windows, so it felt uncomfortable and run-down. The location is central, but the hotel’s condition is unacceptable. We honestly don’t understand the very positive reviews. For us, it’s a clear never again.