Hotel Centenario

Boys.

We only stayed one night, and the heated pool was just the right temperature for yesterday's hot day. It was spacious, and we enjoyed it. The jacuzzi was nice too. The staff were incredibly friendly, and our triple room had plenty of space and super comfortable mattresses. The breakfast was excellent, with lots to choose from: tasty tarts, croissants, scrambled eggs, fruit salad, different breads, gluten-free options, and more. It felt on par with hotels in a higher category. One thing to keep in mind: rooms facing the street may get some noise at night, since the windows aren't double-glazed.

The rooms were fine, and breakfast had plenty of variety, though it was chaotic and clearly short staffed. The stay itself was satisfactory. What made me not want to return was the receptionist working that Sunday morning, a woman around 60. I booked two rooms for myself and three friends using my Argentine ID, and both the reservation and invoice were in my name. But she decided the room occupied by the other people should have VAT, while mine shouldn't. I don't know where she got that from. If I hadn't challenged her with my ID, she'd have charged VAT on both rooms, even though Booking.com clearly says VAT only applies to Uruguayans. She was grumpy and disrespectful, and seemed like she wanted to make extra money on a Sunday. I wouldn't go back just to avoid giving her any profit.

The staff were super friendly, and breakfast was okay, but the hotel itself is old and ugly. The towels are awful, so abrasive they practically sand your whole body. The rooms have horrible old-fashioned carpets, and the bathroom feels straight out of my great-grandmother's time. It's awful and uncomfortable. Only worth staying for two days.