JUST DON’T BOOK THERE!!
It all started at check-in. I thought I had paid already because the hotel should have charged the whole amount for the six day stay in two payments before I arrived. It did not for what I know now, obvious reasons … to fleece the guest!
I was asked how I wanted to pay and I paid with my Citi credit card. And that is where this scam came in. When I looked at my statement a few days later, I saw that there was a surcharge of about 12% built into the total charge that I paid.
I complained. And first they played dumb. They said they could not look up what I had paid. Nonsense!
In the end they could. And then it turned out that without me making that choice or offering me a choice, they put the charge through in USD. I just did not notice this. Watch out for the guy at the front desk (Serge).
At other places that I stayed or ate in Brazil, you are given the choice and as every experienced traveler knows, it’s always best to pay in local currency.
What a rip-off and it was not an accidental rip-off. The system was set up to default to USD, because they get a cut of the surcharge.
The room was very small. The Internet was bad and sometimes for hours not available at all. The breakfast was so-so at best.
In the end, I checked out 3 days early, because of the lousy internet etc. and because his rip-off which cost me $47 had turned me off completely.
I do not support any business with such practices.
Do not book there! Ever!!