Best Catia La Mar Spa Hotels

We stayed overnight after arriving in Caracas before flying to Margarita the following day. The hotel is in a residential area about 10 minutes from the airport by car. The service standards are acceptable but certainly not 5-star or in line with international Marriott standards. Interactions with staff were ‘transactions’ rather than ‘experiences’. Lack of management visibility is noticeable. Our room was spacious but the carpets were quite dated and had a strong damp smell. Inside the room there were many maintenance issues: rusted make-up mirror, broken electrical panel, faulty door lock, toilet didn’t flush and a general lack of attention to detail. The economic and financial situation in Venezuela is a factor to consider but it shouldn’t be used as a justification for poor maintenance. The swimming pool area is one of the best parts of this hotel, many loungers and a good view. There is a bakery nearby to buy a snack or have breakfast, they also do pizza in the evening. Hotel is used by several airlines for their crew accommodation but this wasn’t an issue. This hotel has potential but it needs to push harder to reach better service levels.