Esplendor by Wyndham Montevideo Punta Carretas

We had a great two-night stay, and getting to check in a little early after our morning ferry made things much easier. Everything felt new, modern and very clean. We were surprised to find a sauna and spa, coworking areas, a fully equipped kitchen and an infinity pool. The room was a bit dark, with not many lights. Breakfast comes from the cafeteria, with three choices. Thanks!

The hallways smelled like someone had pooped in every corner, delicious! The room was fairly clean, but the internet kept cutting out, so I wouldn’t really recommend staying here. I was also misled by the bike photo, which showed lots of bikes, but they aren’t available to rent. The hotel only has three bikes for everyone, which is ridiculous.

The rooms don’t have proper temperature control, and the bathrooms sometimes smell of sewage. Service was mostly pleasant and attentive, though there were a couple of exceptions. On the plus side, the beds are very comfortable, and the hotel is on a fairly quiet street near the ocean, with restaurants and shops nearby.

The real problem was getting my deposit back. I paid the deposit by credit card and agreed to the extra 5% charge, but when I asked for it to be refunded to that same card, they refused. They would only give it back in cash or transfer it to a Uruguayan savings account. I was a tourist, so I eventually accepted cash, but all the back and forth with the banks made paying by card cost me more. They do tell you in advance that paying by credit card comes with an extra 5% on both the room and the deposit. You can avoid it by paying cash or transferring to a Uruguayan savings account, if you have a way to do that.