Name: Large room
Item: Hotel Arenal
Rating: 3
Author: BeijingFreckleface

7 - 12 of 80 reviews

danweitongzhi

Panania, Australia

4312

Reviewed 29 June 2016

It will get better

This was an OK hotel not far from the central square. It is undergoing foyer renovations. The staff are friendly and helpful and the breakfasts good. It tries to be a four star hotel but misses out on the tired decor. One plus it has a lift. We were on the seventh floor but could still hear the traffic noise through the large expanse of glass that was not sealed. Some previous visitor stuffed paper between the glass and wall.But we got used to the wind making the whistling noises. The city is not very interesting, except for the free sloth viewing in the central square.

Room tip: No good views at all. Try for a high room away from lift.

Date of stay: June 2016

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NiallODonoghue

Cork, Ireland

215128

Reviewed 29 February 2016

Hotel is centrally located but no atmosphere in this place.

This hotel is based over a large number of floors and our room was located on floor six with a view over the plaza in front of the hotel. The room was cozy and we had a comfortable night stay and a reasonable breakfast in the morning. Wifi was good in the room. The swimming pool gives a nice view of the city and despite the water being ice cold even with air temps in the 30s, it is nice. The door out to the pool required a call to reception to open it as it was broken and upon ringing they were up and fixed it for us straight away. The hotel is general was a good experience.
Santa Cruz in general doesn't offer much for tourists except as a means to get an overnight train into Brazil.

Date of stay: August 2015

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swrealestate

Denver, Colorado

Reviewed 27 September 2015

This is a WARNING or this Hotel

When I first checked they gave me a room on the 9 th floor. Let's start by " I don't speak Spanish". So I get the top floor, if you have traveled in South America, you know that means the wifi has no chance of working. I enter the room and I put my fingers to my nose and tell the bell hop, " no Bueno" and motion my hands to spray the room. He opens the windows and leaves the room. Well, I am in the city center, so the noise would be awesome for sleeping of course. I call the front desk and say, " no sig inal" and she gets it. I packed up my bag ang went to the lobby and waited for my GF to show up who lives in Santa Cruz and speaks Spanish. The receptionist gets me another room and the wifi works. Let's not mention the potatoes chips on the lobby floor and peanuts on the floor of the elevator.
My GF is not staying at the hotel and I only booked the room for one. We went to the room and I changed and we were on our way for the day. The female reception had no issues with her coming to my at this time. We came back later that evening , got the key at the front desk, and started walking towards the room. The new reception stops us and says that the room is only for one and I would have to pay another $15.50 usd if she came to the room. We explained to him that she was not spending the night and would be leaving shortly. The reception starts arguing with her and says he is going to call the police. I am thinking this is unreal. The reception calls the manager who speaks English and I begin to explain the situation. He starts telling me if I add someone to the room there is an additional charge. I explain to him that she is not spending the night and I am not paying any additional fees for such a trashy hotel. He then threatens to call the police, and I respond with " feel free"! I then give the phone to my GF because I feel that his English is not that great. Grant it, it's 8:30pm. He proceeds to make accusations that I could be a murderer and it's for her safety or she could be a prostitue and its for my safety. UNBEILABLE!!! At this point I have no idea how to deal with such trashy people. This is supposed to be a four star hotel with some psycho manager with a nasty tongue. My GF and I went up the street to have a drink and settle down from the unbelievable chaos of the hotel. I ended up going to my room and my GF took a taxi to her house later that evening. this review is a warning!!! I stayed at the Las Palmas 3 nights before this whole in the wall and was happy, but they were out of rooms. Be warned!!!

Room tip: Go to another hotel

Date of stay: September 2015

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Lisa G

Bolivia

Reviewed 19 July 2015

Keep you expensive items locked up. Electronics, money, jewlery, etc.

I'm sure in it's day it was a beautiful Hotel. Rooms are huge and nice furniture, but in need of updating. It was a nice spacious room, with living room and table with chairs, all leather.The plumbing leaks everywhere, in the bathroom. I'd advise wearing shoes going in there, unless you like wet socks. Wifi is weak and will lose connection quite quickly. We booked this room with credit card reward points, done through our Bank. I had not read any reviews until after it was booked and day before our arrival. I was worried after reading the reviews, what we were getting in to. It wasn't as bad as many people had made out though. Our check-in went smoothly, and lady at the front desk spoke English. The Breakfast Buffet could be better, a lot of bread items, little amounts of fruit, good juice selection and great coffee. The room faced a busy street, so was loud. They need some type of plug in heaters, it was very cold during our stay and we could see our breath in the room. Had to wear thermal long underwear and 4 long sleeve shirts and heavy jackets, plus shoes and socks while in our room. We ate in the Restaurant a few times and purchased many coffee's to stay warm, every time we were over charged more than the bill should of been. Simple math off of the Menu confirmed that. Even ordering 2 coffee we were charged extra money. For the 3 nights we were there, the cleaning staff came in twice. Both times we arrived back to our room, our door was left unlocked, after we had locked it leaving the room to go out for the day. For that reason alone I would not recommend this Hotel. The last night we were there, went out at 6 for dinner, no cleaning staff had shown up through the day. Come back to a unlocked door and they re-did an already made bed that I did, left 2 towels, but didn't empty the toilet paper basket in the bathroom. The staff we dealt with were friendly enough. But to me leaving room doors unlocked with peoples passports and other expensive items, is not good.

Room tip: If you go here get a room on a higher level, or a room that doesn't face the busy street

Date of stay: July 2015

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Steve B

Vancouver Island, Canada

Reviewed 17 July 2015

I consider this a 3 on a scale for the level of County it is in but compared to a North American it is a 1

The hotel when we arrived had two English speaking people at the front desk,we had to carry our luggage to the working elevators and then to our room.The room was very clean as was the washroom and it is set up in a very relaxing design with couches and a table in a sitting area,it has a stocked fridge a large screen T.V.
It is an older semi rundown hotel but compared to some places we have styed it is a nice room.Now for breakfast I have had so much better for a lot less,I was not impressed at all with the food the eating area is nice but the food ,some fruit some bread one choice of flaked cereal it has a toaster two choices of juice and that's about it.
Big side note * Wear your thermal underwear there is no heating in the hotel it is cold !
When we were here the weather sucked ,just rain no sun so we did not get to take advantage of the swimming pool and it to is cold water.The only hot wat is in the shower or the outdated jetted bathtub ( Working ).They have a Computer room /smoking and sitting room although the computers were not working.For the most part the staff were friendly but the woman on the second day was very rude by talking on the phone with a friend instead of helping the paying customer until she felt like it.The hotel does have WIFi in the room we stayed in but the signal is weak as well in most parts it was weak.

Room tip: It is a city center hotel so the traffic is loud in the morning so maybe get a room to the back of the building

Date of stay: July 2015