Blu Galapagos Sustainable Waterfront Lodge

My husband and I just returned from a week at Blu Galapagos. We booked the Luxury Voyage package which included tours to the tortoise reserve and two full days of trips to Bartolomé and South Plazas on a beautiful yacht. The hotel took care of everything. We were greeted at the airport gate where our guide took care of bus tickets and ferry tickets before starting our trip at the tortoise reserve. During the days of our tours, lunch was included on the boat and dinner was at restaurants in town. These were amazing restaurants as well (1835 and The Point) upon request the hotel also arranged a dive for my husband and an additional snorkel trip for me. The staff were very helpful and kind. We stayed in the Genovesa Suite and love our balcony and watching the sea lions, marine iguanas and crabs. This was a bucket list trip for us and it exceeded our expectations! Thank you Blu Galapagos!

DO NOT BOOK THIS HOTEL We booked and paid 10 months in advance. We eventually called and emailed months out and they confirmed the Suite (by name) via written e - correspondence. We had paid a significant amount of money to ensure that we had the right room for this special visit. When we arrived they said that as they had changed the category of the rooms, we were now in a (small) junior suite. Like a few other reviewers have said, they are NOT Suites! It was only after two days when I showed them the correspondence confirming the room by name that they accepted we were put into the wrong room. After much discussion (which was a distraction from being on holidays) they gave us the room we has booked and explained that they could not have given it to us earlier as they had allowed someone else to book it. They offered us a small amount by way of compensation, but no where near what we had paid (the difference) for the room we had booked. So, I would NOT Recommend this place as they are deceptive; and you are taking your chances with them. I have waited three months since our visit to write this review, so it is not done in the 'heat of the moment' . Ps. If they respond and deny the contents of this review, then I would be happy to share relevant correspondence. I also note the limited number of reviews for a business that has allegedly been around for a while ...

The Jr. Suite (Marchena) is very very small. Like 250 sqft. or less not including balcony. The view is nice but definitely not a Jr. Suite level room. Jr. Suite should have a separate sitting area, but this room only has 1 small chair. The website also advertised with King bed, but in reality it’s a Queen bed. When we complained to the reception, they said the website is a typo. We requested for a room change within the same category. But instead the hotel offered us to move in a king ( this option leaves no space to walk) or downgrade us to Superior room. I have never heard that a hotel’s practice to resolve the issue is downgrade its guests. Sound insulation is also poor. You can hear people walking and talking outside. The housekeeping is very responsive, perhaps this is the only plus for our stay.

Never book it! Unfortunately, our stay at the hotel was disaster. First of all about the hotel, we paid 640$ per night and they even don’t have a tooth brush in the bathroom. They tried to have cozy rooms but they probably didn’t want to spend money for that, so the rooms are very poor. Second day of our stay, police came and closed the hotel because hotel didn’t paid taxes for many years. The policeman allowed us to stay one night, because they respected our situation of inconvenience and we spent the night with packed suitcases in the tiny room which they call suite. All this time, hotel owners only told us that we had to move to another hotel, nothing more. In the beginning they were talking about to give us only one night stay. We reminded them that we paid more than one night, actually 4 nights more and we had to fight for it endlessly. It’s unbelievable that they dared to left us in the street. Next day, early morning, we had to move to another hotel, because police already was there to lock our room too. They took us by taxi and then water taxi(boat). Finally, we arrived at the new hotel but no-one talked us that the room wasn’t paid and they only paid after one day. We had to wait hours to get some room, it was horrible. Finally, they promised refund for the rest of the money but 2 months left and we still didn’t get it.

The good: The view from the room was wonderful! They speak English pretty well Room is light enough Bed was comfortable. Pillows, not so much. The not so good:: 1) safe that says to set the code, open the door and press the red button. There is no red button. 2) Shower is barely warm 3) No phone in room. So if you need something at night, get dressed to go tell them. 4) If it is hot outside, expect to come back to a hot room because you have to turn off the air, when you leave. It does cool off pretty quickly though 5) our toilet stopped up at 10 pm. Get dressed to go down and tell them. Did come quickly though 6) Food was ok- not great We were here with a Viking cruise extension- so no real choice of where we stayed