Hotel Manakin

The manager tops the best aspects about the Manakin. She is extremely kind, helpful, and very knowledgeable. We could ask her anything, from places to visit, to information on the country's history. We really appreciated this. There is one thing about places in Manta: they are called "hostels" but are really hotels. This 'hotel' is extremely well located, and it's impeccably clean. The breakfast is ok, and you can have water, coffee, or tea allday and night long, which is great. They help you store your luggage if you are checking in early, or checking out late. My room was pretty big and comfortable (except for the bathroom), and the beds were extremely comfortable!!! If you go to Manta and stay at this hotel, make sure you have some meal OR cocktail at the Oh Mar restaurant (including alcoholic or non-alcoholic cocktails at its Palmetto Bar) nearby, or some coffee and desserts at the Louis XIV :) Now, it's the first time I've had to spend so many hours looking for accomodation at a given place. Everything is super pricy in Manta! I had read the area was extermely touristic, and the beach near the hotel was 'to die for', but it was not the case. It turnes out it's a normal beach, overcrowded with local people in normal clothes, and lots of salespeople offering food. If you think about that, you'll think staying at almost any hotel or hostel is extremely expensive compared to the service you get and the beaches you get access too. However, one must take into account that they suffered severe climatic conditions in the recent years, so probably their steep prices have to do with some strategy to recover from the hardest times. Only that would make sense. About the Manakin, it is located in front of a the construction site of a huge mall (April 2017), so it could be a bit noisy during the day. Nothing extreme; just make sure you wear your earplugs if you opt for a day nap. I didn't like the fact that literally as soon as I arrived, the guy at the dest asked me to pay in a very rough way, but well, I understand they need to charge and make sure people pay, right? Other than that, the service was good. I didn't like the bathroom either, since it's tiny and uncomfortable. I asked at the desk the first day, and they that they'd try to change my rooms: After all, since the service was so good and the beds were SO great, I decided to keep the same room. In general, a very good experience in Manta, partly due to this hotel!