Hotel berhampiran Gemini South Observatory, La Serena

I selected this hotel on the basis of reviews but was really disappointed. Firstly, the good things. The hotel is well located on the beach at La Serena and I think most rooms have a sea view. Secondly, the staff were helpful in loaning me some electricity adaptors as they only have the older plug sockets for which I didn’t have an adaptor. The showers are really nice Now the bad points. The staff are not very friendly. They prefer to communicate by WhatsApp rather than face to face. There is a real “smiles cost extra” vibe. Check-in is ridiculously late at 4pm. I have travlled the world and never experienced such a late check-in. Rooms are OK but basic. The breakfast room is just depressing and looks like it was designed for coach parties. The food was basic and I was shouted at for not wearing my mask. Well, of course not, because it is necessary to remove your mask so you can put food in your mouth. Plus I was sitting outside. I didn’t bother going after the first morning as the food wasn’t worth me being hassle again. Just be aware that the city centre of La Serena is at least a 30 minute walk. Taxis are a bit unreliable, especially first thing in the morning if you need to get to the bus station. Would I stay here again? No.

My Aunt, Uncle, my Mom, and I spent 2 nights at the Enjoy in Coquimbo. My mom and I shared a Suite on top (12th) floor and my aunt & uncle had a room on the 3rd floor. First of all this is certainly NOT a 5 Star hotel! It might be the best place in Coquimbo / La Serena and it may have once been a decent resort, but it missed on SO MANY fronts that I don't know where to start!!! - The furniture (specially in the lobby and by the outdoor pool) is really worn out and needs replacing. The whole outdoor pool area needs a giant makeover! - We came back from dinner to find a huge line of cars of ****** goers stretching down the street trying to get into the parking lot (that was full). After waiting for a while, someone in my party got out and went to ask how we (as hotel guests) were supposed to park our cars. We were instructed to go into thru the exit driveway and then turn the car in an impossible way to get in front of the waiting cars and thru the garage entrance (needless to say, despite being an excellent driver, I ended up scratching the rental car on a pole as I maneuvered the SUV into the garage). - The service was REALLY awful! We asked the front desk to please call a taxi for us (me and my 83 year-old mom) and they handed us a piece of paper with the taxi company's phone number! - I fell asleep on Friday night around 11pm only to be awoken at 11:30 by a full-on OUTDOOR disco party directly across the street from the hotel. It was so loud that it made the windows shake and it went on until 5am! Luckily, it was quiet the following night or I would have lost my mind! - The ****** is really NOT worth it and crowd is super low-budget! - The little store was always closed, the place where you eat breakfast is a million miles away, the windows are all dirty, I could go on and on ... Don't stay here!