This is my third time to the Hotel Zapata and it just keeps getting better! This time, I traveled with three family members (we're all over 40) and we just had an exceptional 8 days. The staff is friendly and attentive and the hotel is amazingly clean and beautiful. You can't buy a better beach scene than the view from your balcony!

We took full advantage of the bar and restaurant at the Hotel and was served a variety of exceptional meals. I had a list of restaurants that I wanted to visit with my family, but after tasting the amazing dishes coming out of the kitchen at the Hotel Zapata, we pared our list to just a couple. It was fabulous to just say to the staff: "We're hungry -- could you fix us something to eat?" And we were never disappointed. (Make sure you're hungry, though -- the portions are large!)

We were never overcharged for any bar tab or food (or hotel bill, for that matter), and considered the cost of the food and bar very reasonable. Be aware that the bar/restaurant bill must be paid in cash, but we were made aware of that at check in.

The hotel rooms were very clean and comfortable. As a seasoned traveler in Latin America and the Caribbean, I enjoy the cultural experience, and the members of my family who were with me (two had never traveled outside the U.S.) also had no issues or disappointment with the hotel rooms.

If you are looking for down-filled beds, turn-down service with a chocolate on your pillow and a bathroom full of spa soaps and shampoos, then you need to go elsewhere. I, however, would not trade the absolutely wonderful stay for any bottle of ginger-scented shampoo.

This is a wonderful family run hotel where everyone makes you feel as though you've come to stay at their home. This is my second stay at Zapata, and I wouldn't stay anywhere else in Boca Chica. The staff was exceptionally helpful, providing all the assistance you needed right up front. Fast, friendly, and helpful, they really made our trip much better.

The hotel is located right on the beach. It is a five minute walk from the bars and restaurants, which is nice because you can sleep in peace. I found Zapata while walking around town and stopped in. The affordable prices, scenic charm, and friendly faces made me want to stay. I will definitely be staying there again when I go back to Boca Chica!!!

1. I emailed the hotel to tell them I would arrive on a Saturday after midnight. I asked them to be sure that someone was available when we arrived. Instead at 1:15 on arrival there was no one at the front desk. It took 20 minutes to finally find someone and check in.

2. I selected 2 beds in my reservation form. We were put in the beachside building. There was only one bed that was at best full size, maybe smaller. I am 5’9 and my fiancé 5’ 4. Neither of us is overweight. We barely fit in the bed which was uncomfortable and sagged to the middle. We were told the rooms in the other building neat the noisy street had 2 beds but there was construction going on and so they were unavailable. So what? There were boom boxes on the beach outside my room early every morning!

3. I was told I had to pay cash in advance. I soon wanted out to this rat hole but was told there was no refund. Only a credit for future stays. Like I really wanted to come back!! Who would I want to give the credit to? NO ONE! Maybe an enemy. LOL

4. The so called air conditioning unit in the room was right next to the bed. So someone was going to receive cool air in their face all night. There was no option to choose fan only on the ancient unit. There were no ceiling fans in the room. The only plus was that the air conditioner ran on only one speed that never fully cooled the SMALL room anyway.

5. Are you tall? Forget the bed. Are you wide? Forget the shower. I had one elbow on the wall, the other on the shower curtain. There was no soap or shampoo included in the room.

6. Breakfast was supposed to ne included each day. But eggs and fruit are your only choices. The scrambled eggs were good. I guess practice does make perfect. But my fiancé doesn’t like eggs. She was continually promised oatmeal manana but it never happened. Finally she asked that they fry a banana for her. They did so but then added charged an extra $3. Bananas cost less than 10 cents a piece there. She was never told there would be an extra charge until later.

7. The food there was expensive and mediocre in quality. So one night I went out to buy a pizza to bring back to the room. When I arrived I was told no food in the room! We had to take the food to the beach and eat in the dark!

8. Lighting – You cannot read a book in the room as the lighting is awful. The closet and safe were OK.

9. The front door is locked all the time. There is never anyone at the “front desk”. So you always have to ring a buzzer and wait 5-10 minutes to get to your room. Do you like standing outside in 90+ degree heat waiting? I don’t!

10. They never have change!! For instance, I asked do you have change for $5.00 before I bought a beer. Oh yes I was told. The beer was $2.50. I got back $2 and was told they didn’t have any coins. BS alert! I would have tipped them anyway but I like to have that option. I complained and after 10 minutes they found change. No tip was given after trying to force one out of me!

There are too many other negatives to list. But trust me – don’t bother with this one! Were it not for the staff here, I ‘d rate this hotel as a -1. The manager, waiters, maids etc are great. Although most are Haitian who can only speak French! At $75 a night you can do much better elsewhere!!!

Beach and hotel personnel are excellent.
A charge card was used to pay for the 3 night stay when checking in.
The hotel kept a “running total” of food and drinks for my wife & I which wasn’t ready when I tried to pay and was presented after my airport taxi arrived. The bill had mixed drinks & wine in amounts that we didn’t order or consume and they would not take a credit card for payment. I was given no option other than to go to a local bank and get cash ($30.00 bank charge) and pay the hotel with no adjustments and no copy of the bill. The bill had 2 add lines at the bottom which added about 25% to the total. I arrived at the airport over an hour late!
This hotel stay was over $300.00 a night and without false charges would have been under $230.00!
I will NEVER stay there again and suggest you pay cash on delivery for all services if you choose to stay in this hotel.
Hotel policy (in the room) states nothing about credit cards, but does state if prostitutes are not out of the building by 7:30 am there will be a $10.00 added fee.
Beware of this hotel!!!!!!