Maracaibo Apartments

Review date: 18 August 2008 - A HotelStreet visitor from Enniscorthy, Co.Wexford wrote:-

Review title: "Has It Changed Completely?"
Travel date: August 2008
Cannot understand a review from last year? Either they have changed completely or we stayed somewhere else! At first you think 'this is small and dirty' but you are used to 'home' when you start comparing the apartment/resort to last year's holiday and previous ones, it was really quite lovely.

Firstly we found the cleaning services spot-on. Yes, on the day the apartment wasn't cleaned we had grown to expect it but towels were replaced numerously, beds made and the standard of cleanliness very high.

In fact we noticed that the whole resort was cleaned on a regular basis and there seemed to be a pride from the people on town cleaning. I think that this is because many Spanish stay here or have holiday homes here. Certainly a good mix of people not just the 'larger louts'. The centre was noisy at night but elsewhere there seemed to be a strict 'no-noise after midnight' rule, probably because there were so many Spanish living in Puerto Rico.

The Maracaibo seemed to be self-catering, so obviously eating out was preferred. There were basic facilities in the room and a bar/cafe but nothing great. Our TV was Eurosport and Sky News (both English) which was fine, especially for the Olympics.

The resort itself was the greatest place we have ever been to (also no mosquitoes!) for choices of places to eat. Yes, they were 'in your face' to get trade but we found a simple 'no' was the best way of dealing with people asking you to eat in their restaurant!

I only went to 'Lineker's' when it was quiet as it wasn't very air conditioned. The worst place ever, to drink is the bar opposite 'Lineker's' ('Tropicana', maybe?) They do not take no and would almost grab you to go in!

Review date: 05 July 2009 - A HotelStreet visitor from Scotland wrote:-

Review title: "Maracaibo Apartments Should Be Condemmed"
Travel date: July 2008
My husband and I took our three boys to the Maracaibo apartments and were thoroughly disgusted with the whole experience. On arrival we collected our door pass and let ourselves in. What a shambles - four single beds for five people. When queried, the man at reception he showed no interest whatsoever. My youngest child is 12 years old and nearly 5 ft and they expected him to sleep on a cramped, filthy, two 2 seater couch. We had to put the cushions on the floor and put sheets over the top and this is where our child slept on his first night. Spoke to holiday rep the following morning (or should that be, afternoon, when she decided to appear) and she promised the bedding situation would be resolved later that day. We did receive a camp bed eventually! First two beds had no springs and our son fell straight through!

We were on the top floor and our main door opened right on to fire exit with metal stairs which had no gate to pull over but if you went further down, these floors had gates! Where is the sense in that?

There was no entertainment put on for the week we were there. Give me back rainy Scotland any day of the week. I will never be back there.

Review date: 14 July 2008 - A HotelStreet visitor from Ireland wrote:-

Review title: "Our Holiday Was Great"
Travel date: May 2007
I stayed here with my friends twice so far and now we're coming back in two weeks. The apartments were great, clean and staff friendly and helpful.

Overall Puerto Rico itself is amazing. This is my ninth time coming back and I will be back again for a long time. I would recommend the Maracaibo apartments to young and old. Yes, it was hilly but you're on holidays not at home so you should not come here if you don't like the walk and as for taxis, they cost like two euros, so even if you had to get a taxi everywhere, you don't mind. Can't wait for the second of August.

Review date: 28 January 2007 - A HotelStreet visitor from Ireland wrote:-

Review title: "Maracaibo Apartments"
Travel date: August 2006
I think this is the best place I ever went to. I had the time of my life. It was great

Review date: 16 June 2007 - A HotelStreet visitor from Belfast wrote:-

Review title: "Maracaibo's Great"
Travel date: July 2006
I stayed in these apartments last year and have two say they were sound as a pound. Staff friendly, rooms clean, 24 hour Spar and me and her loved it. Recommend it to anyone.

Review date: 29 July 2006 - A HotelStreet visitor from Northern Ireland wrote:-

Review title: "Maracaibo Apartments"
Travel date: July 2006
I did not like the place one bit. I can forgive the fact that the area is built on a hill, so walking and climbing unfortunately is a must, unless you want to continuously pay for a taxi.

The hotel is extremely basic. The apartment my wife and I shared was not clean. The walls were filthy, paint peeling off. We were on the top floor and had to climb 100 steps most days (in mid-30s temperature), due to the fact that the lifts worked when they wanted to. Water facilities worked when they wanted to.

The hotel restaurant was not open as far as I could see the entire time we were there. Then apparently there was a problem with the water in there too. The electric kept going out at the bar; OK if you like warm beer and wanted to wait for a drink, as the bar man kept going away for walks on his own, leaving no one to attend to the customers. Breakfast was a joke. (what breakfast?) Food was supposed to be available from 9 a.m. to 1.30 p.m., it was on our first day there and not after. We had to walk to the beach for breakfast every morning.

Don't bother with a quiet night in, in front of the telly unless you can speak fluent German or Spanish. Telly was pay as you watch - one euro per hour. Then for the same dance music being repeated daily morning noon and night at the bar. Not to mention the hotel's reluctance to deal with the noise of people shouting and screaming and jumping into the pool at 5 o'clock in the morning.

The bed sheets were not changed once during our stay there. The towels were changed twice. Not ideal when you're showering twice a day.

Certain reception staff members were very reluctant to help and never seemed in any sort of panic to sort out problems.

As for the resort itself, it was filthy. More or less the same food in every single restaurant, with touts shouting at you every five seconds to get you to come in. The one place I did enjoy in Puerto Rico was ‘Lineker's' bar, where you were actually made to feel welcome. Needless to say that was where I spent most of my time.

Apart from that my wife and I both fell ill and got transfer flights home after the first week. This is one place I will not be travelling to ever again.