a genuine gem for non-lux, comfort loving folk

Posted by fuzzylogic from Europe. on 12/4/06

Santa Cruz is on the opposite side of the lake to the twin volcanoes, so the views from Arca's gorgeous gardens, where there are plenty of places to sit, are stunning. The hotel is also right by the jetty. and only one stop from Pana, so superbly located from a practical point of view too. I stayed in one of their 3 cheap and cheerful rooms which was small and basic but super clean. The shared loos and shower ditto. I saw the rooms with en-suite which were bigger but still, if you were looking for gleaming fittings and all mod cons would have to be described as charming but rustic. The food was fantastic and good value and the hostess, Anna, happy to advise on what to see and how to get there. My only criticism would be that dinner is a 6 course set meal. It's beautifully presented and a great social occasion, with guests sharing a large table. But I felt it had somehow become an obsession with the hostess. You could opt to just take this course or that (in advance) but the underlying vibe was that such behaviour was not welcome. In other words if you didn't want, or actually couldn't eat, 6 courses, then you were not somehow the "right" sort of guest. This thing about the food just got to me but please don't let me put you off going there because it is beautiful - and is real, and has soul, and is not in any way an establishment plucked out of the first world and deposited in the third. Recommended.