Vista del Mar Boutique Hotel

Inexpensive yet clean and functional

My family of 3 stayed 4 nights starting 3/14/2006. The hotel is inexpensive, clean, convenient, and friendly staff; just a place to store luggage and sleep.

Our room was one of the few with a wall separating the queen bed from the double bed. This allowed us to separate for sleeping. Decor was appropriate for the locale.

Staff delivered free food every day at our desired time by knocking quietly on the door. Fruit juice was tasty n sweet. Sweet rolls were plain but held us until breakfast. We didn't try the coffee.

The shower always worked and got plenty hot. The TV had cable with only 3 English stations. The safe was tiny but good for storing valuables. We didn't use the mini-fridge. The bathroom worked fine, decorated in a beach motif. A sign asks that you don't put paper into the toilet. The free bottle of water they leave daily is enough for 3 people to brush their teeth twice a day.

Keep the AC at 18 C during the day and you'll always have a room that is comfy but not cold. At night, we set at 20 C to keep the room from getting too chilly.

The hotel is on the main street. Cabs are always nearby. A convenience store is 3 shops to the north; you can buy things like drinks, candy, toothbrush, clippers, alcohol, prescription drugs, etc and prices are good. Carlos n Charlie's, Senor Frog, Shrimp Bucket, Subway, and some good Mexican restaurants (ask your hostess) are only 1 block away. The main pier is a 5-minute walk north.

The closet was large but smelled rank. The lighting was romantic but not bright enough at night to read easily without sitting directly under a light. From 9 am to 5 pm you'll hear music and noise from the market just outside the windows. The beds were very hard and the pillows were hard and flat. They had no spare pillows or blankets. We usually woke up with a little back pain or body ache from the bed but nothing serious. Sensitive sleepers will need to bring their own pillow or bedding. Tipping the maid $3 US a day got us nothing extra.

Unique Quality: Friendly, helpful staff. The managers understand English well. The room decor is appropriate. The price is right for those of us on a tight budget. The location is quite convenient.