Hotel Diego de Almagro Arica

Very good place on the beach Very clean and very spacious room. Small problem with the hot water (not very hot but maybe it's temporary?) Breakfast good, but not as varied as at the DDA hotel in San Pedro.) Very pleasant staff. Hotel very well located near the beach. Excellent WiFi connection. Swimming pool (but closed in this season.)

It needs to be made clear that there was nothing inherently wrong with my stay at this hotel, hence the still-solid four star rating I’ve given. The rooms delivered in comfort and functionality, and the people at check-in/out and the on-site restaurant were friendly and very helpful. My issue boils down to how much I was charged to stay here. Read the details of my experience below: - Location and atmosphere: The property directly faces the Pacific Ocean and affords awesome views. One can walk to the beach and a few nearby restaurants fairly easily, although I didn’t spot a way to get to the beach without having to circle around the front of the building. Inside, the atmosphere is dated, but things are still clean. Only one elevator was functioning when I stayed, but it didn’t cause too lengthy of a delay to access. I encourage the property to begin renovations as soon as possible. - Service: All the employees were warm and friendly. The reception folks spoke proficient English. When I needed to load my electric wheelchair onto a taxi, the workers who came to assist with the lifting were so gracious and willing. Moreover, a member of the housekeeping team I encountered upon walking to my room was very cordial and sweet. The service here is excellent. - Room: I requested a room facing the ocean, and my request was granted. While the views didn’t disappoint, the amenities in the room were minimal, and the furniture and bed was quite basic. Of course, I’ve never stayed at this hotel before (which is apparently part of a Chilean hotel chain with locations all over the country), so I certainly could’ve arrived with expectations too high. Nothing was terrible about the room, but something could’ve been added or polished to take it a step further. It was just very basic and ordinary. - Value: I’m honestly doing this hotel a favor by reserving my criticism in the “value” category rather than the “service” category, because the argument could be made that customer service resulted in this. I’m choosing to say this here because I truly don’t think the hotel staff were aware or purposefully trying to overcharge me. But they did, both literally and in terms of how I perceived my very basic room to be. I should’ve paid online in advance; whoops. What would’ve cost me (including taxes) $75-ish USD on any major booking site, had I just taken three minutes to connect to Wifi and reserve it on my iPad, ended up costing roughly $125 at checkout. Mind you, I had specifically checked the sea-view rooms online, not simply the lowest-tier room in the hotel. I also only bought two bottles of water, surely costing no more than $4 USD each. I was grossly overcharged. I attempted to explain this and ask for a lower amount, but a combination of the language barrier and the fact the bill was inevitably final left me owing far more than my stay was worth. I may stay here again for a great price if I can pay in advance online, and especially if renovations to rooms and

The location is good, it is clean and it is very convenient because the beach is in front of the hotel! But it doesn’t matter because the staff is terrible, they are rude, they give you support as they are making you a favor! If you are looking for a relaxing time I don't recommend it!