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| Avoid Hotel Desire/Hotel La Catalina https://forum.costaricaticas.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=44033 |
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| Author: | GeminisC [ Tue Sep 10, 2013 1:55 am ] |
| Post subject: | Avoid Hotel Desire/Hotel La Catalina |
I was amazed to see the reviews of this hotel on the Trip Advisor website. Most are completely misleading, fraudulent, and likely written by, or ghost-written for, the hotel management. Caveat Emptor: Reservations are prepaid in full and non-refundable. I found out the hard way they mean just that. They will have you sign away your right to a refund upon arrival. They will fight you and your credit card company in a most miserly way to keep every last cent they can. I ended paying not to stay there. If you must go, do not reserve a room for more than one night and don't worry about extending your stay as very few people visit with them. If they insist on an extended booking in advance, leave. The place is isolated and difficult to find even for seasoned taxi drivers. I visited during the green season and I shared the entire place with two other couples who kept to themselves. I wouldn't have even known they were there had we not made the hundred meter plus trek to the main building (in near total darkness) for dinner at about the same time. There was nothing going on in the way of adult lifestyle activities so don't run around naked unless you want that creepy grounds keeper to smirk at you. Also, be prepared to roll your suitcase through the mud as paved walkways don't connect all the buildings. Wi-fi was available in the main building only. The so-called adult pool, jacuzzi, and rec room were also unkempt and nothing like the pictures. In fact, the only nice building was the main building. The king-bed room I stayed in was shabby and unfinished. There is not much water pressure to the toilets. When I refilled a water bottle from the tap in the room the water was so cloudy I couldn't see through the bottle; be sure to take your own bottled water. You will also need a good flashlight if you intend to go anywhere outside of your room after dark. Unless you rented a car you are pretty much stuck there. They know this and charge accordingly: Their taxi into town costs $25 one way and the day trip arrangement I requested was quoted at nearly twice as much as what tour operators in town charge. Add to everything mentioned three things about Costa Rica in general: be prepared for a lot of rain, high food prices, and high gasoline prices. In summary, their pictures, brochures and website are entirely misleading, their policies are unreasonable and inflexible, and their prices are out of line. On the positive side, nobody's there to bother you (so you can write that book you were working on), the staff was nice, the night air is cool and refreshing, there is hot (albeit somewhat murky) water in the showers, and the view of the central valley is beautiful, especially at night. Still, not enough for a two star rating, verdict: one and a half stars. Go elsewhere, you'll be glad you did. |
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