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Travelling from Canada to Nuevo Vallarta each winter since 2013 my wife & I have stayed at this hotel on two occasions when overnighting in Sayulita, most recently on Jan.08 & 09. Previous reviews by other guests adequately describe the rooms, the noise and hotel location within the town. I will simply confirm that our young, female receptionist was courteous & helpful when we walked in off the street having made no reservation. She showed us a room that was spotlessly clean with minimum but tasteful decor. It suited our every need for our two night stay and the ear plugs negated any outside clatter. The rooftop area is simply wonderful and feels like an oasis when one wants a break from the bustling town centre. We would definitely stay here again.
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cute little hotel one block from the central plaza. This was the second time we stayed here. There is only about 10 rooms, so it’s difficult to book. Love the ambiance,the rooftop lounge, courtesy tequila, and hammock. The rooms are clean and perfect size. The bathroom is an all-in-one sink, shower, toilet combined (interesting but it works). The air conditioning works well which is important too. Really cute place for couples,
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Date of stay: December 2019Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Read the reviews; they are accurate. Let me start at the end, we like this hotel and would stay here again, but it was a few days to get to this conclusion.
It is a charming ambiance, and let me say I am a total sucker for boutique-styling, and this hotel has it everywhere. The courtyard entrance with candles in the evening, the rooftop Terrance is sublime. Sipping tequila on the roof while listening to town square music is magical in the evenings. The rooms are cute as well.
So, definitely love at first sight. What next?
Well, it turns out the noise at night is very loud from nightclubs just down the block. This cannot be overstated. It is loud from about 10pm to a bit after midnight. Then guests of the hotel would come home drunk and noisy arriving to their rooms. Neither of these can be controlled by the hotel, so one cannot fault the management. But, seriously if you are planning to sleep before midnight, then this is not the place for you, with the exception of perhaps room #3 which is an inside room on the second floor, but even then, the walls are thin.
So now we hate the hotel. But wait - attitude and schedule adjustment. We are in Mexico. In Sayulita! The whole idea is to siesta from 2-4pm then sit on the roof, sip a drink and listen to the music. It might be top-40 DJ, mariachi, or live blues. Why not adjust and enjoy? We did and fell back in love with the hotel.
Now in love, we went back to our room #7. No air-conditioning in this room is available. Hot, stuffy, loud. Yikes. Hate again. But, the management moved us for some days to an air-conditioned room, and arranged for an extra fan when we moved back. Love again.
Now happy, we noticed none of the bathrooms in the rooms have a door, just a sheer curtain separating the toilet from the bed areas. So, you cannot see your room partner doing their business, but you can hear them. The walls are thin enough that you can sometimes hear the next room. Back to hate. But then, hey everyone poops, pees, and farts. There are even kids' books explaining this. So, get over it. We did. Back to love.
A couple things management could control. Some sheets are getting threadbare and worn. Easy to replace. Some trash can tops and walls need cleaning and some towels are stained a bit. Could dye the towels in pink and red hearts as a unique touch and would extend their life. Pillows are worn out and stained under the pillow covers. Adding a second pillow-slip would be a way to resolve this with new pillows. A once-a-week inspection and changing out old items sooner would help. Likewise cleaning fan blades and air conditioner louvres needs to be done. New wood could be stained dark to add ambience and match other wood trim. Not hate, but a bit disappointed. Usually boutique hotels have a little more personal owner attention to these little things.
But then there is morning coffee, tea, and cookies provided complimentary. Grab a cup and sit on the roof. Back to loving this hotel.
The hotel is close to the beach, half a block from morning coffee, across the street from fresh-squeezed juice. Beside a cute new bar. Love.
Very reasonably priced, professional staff, cute decor.
We like it just fine now and would return, in love.
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Date of stay: April 2014Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My boyfriend & I roomed in Hotel Hafa the week of Sept 22-27.
A day before leaving to Sayulita, I emailed the hotel asking if they had a safe in the room and got a reply stating yes. Perfect, I don't have to carry my valuables & cash on me because they'll be safe in the room.
On Monday, Sept. 26th before leaving to eat breakfast, my bf & I counted our money in the safe & were suprised at how much more we had than expected. After leaving for breakfast and going to the beach we come back to the hotel & the housekeeper (Pati) still hasn't gotten to our room. We decide to pass time at ChocoBanana for about 30-45min and by this time I'm exhausted. Once in our room, my bf goes into the safe again to get some money & $200 is missing. It was especially obvious because all our cash was in hundred dollar bills. The only person to have access to our room was the housekeeper, but how would she get into the safe?
My bf speaka with Pati (the housekeeper) & the first thing he asked her was if she knew the code to the safe- she said yes. Keep in mind, there is NO ONE working in the hotel at this time other than Pati (no manager, no receptionist, no owner). We call Martha, the manager, and she doesn't pick up. Coincidentally, we sailed on a boat with Martha & her friends the Saturday before so we had a business card from a close buddy of her's. Unfortunately, Martha never came to the hotel that day, even though I told her friend it was important.
My bf went to the office the next morning to see if Martha was there and told her about the incidident. She looked concerned because she had just fired the receptionist who was involved with a bad crowd in Sayulita. Shortly, after the receptionist was fired, Hotel Hafa was robbed but there was no forced entry. Martha said the person who robbed Hafa had a key and they also had a key to OUR ROOM because it was the only room ransacked the day of the robbery (again, no forced entry)!! How unsettling is that? My bf and I could've been robbed in our sleep, killed or kidnapped because the lock to our room was not changed.
The icing on the cake was when Martha came up to our room with the master key for the safes of the hotel & she had ALL, but the key to the safe in our room. I mean really. First, you can't make up your own safe combinations, they're pre-programmed (even the maid knew it) & there's also a master key that someone else has, which she wasn't aware of til that moment.
According to all the locals, September is the slowest month of business in Sayulita & I think the reason they didn't take all of our cash, passports & jewelry was because they wanted something to hold them off til October, when the tourist season starts again...maybe in hopes that we wouldn't notice & they could do it to future guests in our room when it was convenient for them.
I'm livid with Hotel Hafa because of the details that were given to us which compromised our safety. I'm also upset at the fact that there is no one physically working in the hotel that can be of assistance to it's guests. Lastly, the owner Christophe [--] never contacted my bf or myself regarding the issue. My bf contacted Cristophe and he denied the facts that Martha had enclosed to us previously, including the lock not being changed and so on & therefore we will not get our money back.
Hotel Hafa you are such a disappointment and the way you conduct business is a joke. My bf & I are honest, good natured people and feel very taken advantage of. The only thing within my power is to write this review & hope people take it into consideration when choosing to stay at your hotel because you don't care about your guests.
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Date of stay: September 2011
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
To begin, my boyfriend and I were super stoked to be staying in this hotel. Sayulita is a fantastic little town and lots of fun. However, our experience at Hotel Hafa has so far been a sequence of disappointments. When we first checked in, we were told to find our room (room 8) downstairs. It REEKED of incense (which we soon learned was to cover up the musty and dank smell of the room) and there was much to be desired. The shower head has cobwebs hanging down and there were multiple mysterious hairs all over our pillows and bed. Our "king" bed is just two single beds pushed together. The internet is very unreliable and constantly goes out while you're using it. Also, there are two giant pictures of the owner's children in very odd poses hanging around the room (one above the bed). That's not so much bad as just strange.
One of the things that you want when going to a beach town is a room that's airy with a lot of windows. In our room, there are only two tiny windows opening directly to the street, where anyone walking by can see into the room. The staff is very unprofessional. We have seen the owners multiple times walking around the premises and neither has even ventured a hello or any sort of greeting. THEN the climax of our unfortunate sojourn.
At about 9 AM on our penultimate day, we were awoken by a huge hammering sound. The owners had decided to hire people to install AC to some of the rooms and did not notify any of the occupants that this was to occur. The hammering was SO LOUD (because it was occurring on the other side of our wall) that we had to leave the room immediately. It lasted until 5 PM. When we queried the receptionist about this, she was unapologetic and simply said that the "owners are on their way so ask them." When they finally turned up, an hour later, they did not make any attempt to apologize for this inconvenience or even mention it.
We had a terrible experience at this hotel. Even had these things not happened, both my partner and I struggle to understand the 4 1/2 star rating. We feel as if many of these reviews have been planted. Other guests at the hotel seem to have the same impression that we do. There are so many other hotels in Sayulita that far outshine the Hotel Hafa. Seriously, stay at one of those.
PS: The fact that you pay in cash and paypal leads us to believe that they've had problems with people asking for refunds or blocking charges because, honestly, where have you ever stayed at that refused credit cards?
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Date of stay: March 2015
Value
Location
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We had a terrible experience in the last day of December in 2014. The owners were never present and the girls at the reception were rude to us. When we ask for parking we were told "We don't have any and you have to find it for yourself", for us is ok that they don't provide, but some guidance would have been helpful.
The rooms are completely noisy all night, so if you plan to rest, DO NOT come here. The bathrooms have no ventilation, so the room will be damp throughout your stay.
You need to pay upfront at the beginning of your stay, this is done so that yo are forcefully stuck in the lodge, this is terrible since we wanted to leave after one night.
The rate includes tea and cookies in the morning, we were surprised when we found cheap tea and old cookies, but well, service was terrible so far so I guess that one was expected.
Last, when we wanted to turn the AC on, we realized it came at an extra cost. Their whole attitude and then having this nickle-and-dime really made me furious.
The only good thing was the terrace, I guess you probably would have rested better there than in the rooms.
NEVER Coming back
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Date of stay: December 2014
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We got to the hotel and the first thing that we noticed when we got to our room was a paper on the door that said , "if you are not out by 11:15 we will keep your deposit !", the rudest check out note more like a check out warning that I've seen in my life. In the morning we were awaken by the music that the cleaning lady was hearing out loud and when we checked out ( at 10 am! ). After paying the fare, I asked for an invoice and they said that taxes must be paid over the already paid fare. In any respectable Hotel when they give you your total, it includes taxes , We found this quite sketchy.
I recomend not to trust the pictures and pass it by
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Date of stay: December 2014
Value
Cleanliness
Service
Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This is my first time writing a review on TripAdvisor, and I decided to write because I felt I had a duty to warn my fellow travelers about Petit Hotel d'Hafa. I visited Sayulita solo in July 2013 to look at wedding venues. I must say it was very easy to make my reservation via email with the owners, and they even offered me a generous discount on the rate of the room because I would be traveling in the off-season. The positives ended right there. My first night in the hotel was a Sunday night. The noise from the club down the block was INCREDIBLY loud until about 5 am. Then, the deliveries started and the street noise was quite loud as well. After many stays in hostels and hotels with thin walls, I always travel earplugs. These did NOTHING to block out the noise. I couldn't sleep at all the first night. The next morning I went to the front desk to see if I could have my room switched because my current room was intolerable. They wanted to charge me the full, original cost of my room, plus the difference between my room and a quieter room, to switch. None of the hotel staff mentioned the noise issue in my current room. Finally, they agreed to switch my room. Also, the toilet in my first and second rooms clogged the first time I used them (and nothing weird was going down those toilets). The toilet in my second room clogged the first night I was there, and was not fixed for the duration of my stay (four more nights). The hotel must have serious plumbing problems, as the shower hardly worked at all (a slow trickle - a few drops of water at a time - was all I could get). The hotel is a great price, nicely decorated, and in a great location, but DEFINITELY not worth the completely unpleasant stay. I've traveled all over the world and stayed in dozens of budget accommodations. This was by far the worst place I have ever stayed.
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Date of stay: July 2013
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Trip type: Travelled solo
Room Tip:Â I stayed in Room 6 on the street level - lack of glass in the windows and noise from the club...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We made a reservation by phone and paid the required 50% by Paypal. When we arrived we were told all of the rooms were rented. Owners no where to be found. Spent over an hour before we were finally refunded our money. Did nothing to help us find another place.
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Date of stay: February 2013
Value
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from hafasayulita, Owner at Petit Hotel d'Hafa
Responded Feb 25, 2013
Hello, first I would like to say how sorry I am about what you had to go true!!! I have been in the same situation before and there is nothing nice about it. There is no excuses but the truth is that since it was only for one night we took that reservation over the phone with out asking for an email confirmation witch we usually alway do so this type of mistake don't happen!!! My wife and I are here all the time to attend any problem and we try to please our guest the best we can unfortunately before we got your paypal deposit we had to leave for a family matter and your reservation was not put down in our book,someone walked in and booked the room you were supposed to be in ones again there are no excused but it really usually never happens to us we hope we can do something to make it up to you so you can change you mind on our service. Best Christophe Mignot
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Stayed for 3 nights. A little expensive compared to the rest of Mexico (Mexico City and Guadalajara) but overall Sayulita is, the shops and hotels that is. Petit Hafa is beautiful. Original. Handmade signs. Little nick-nacks. Art. It's all very colorfull, cute and obviously handpainted by the owners. It's safe enough, good locks on the doors and the outside door is locked at night. While I was there I saw the staff all the time in and around the hotel. Very clean, simple rooms but with everything you need. Bed, bathroom, desk and chair, fridge, safe and space to put your stuff. The room didn't have AC (the one on the ground floor), it was a little warm but the fan did the job at night, I slept through the streetnoises so it wasn't bad al all.
Rooftop terrace is a little gem, make sure you go and check it out. And have a Tequila on the house. Owner called a cab for me for pick up in the middle of the night (4.30), he was right on time, very friendly, got me to Puerta Vallarta within 40 minutes.
It's a lovely place, 2 steps up from a hostel but treat yourself, it's worth it!
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Date of stay: October 2011
Value
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Location
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Trip type: Travelled solo
Room Tip:Â If you can spend a little more, go for the upstairs rooms. If you don't mind some sounds...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Los Angeles, California33 contributions19 helpful votes
yes, just email them or call them! I email them and Christophe, the owner, always gets right back to me! they are great and it's a fantastic spot. you'll love it!
There are more places to choose from in the Sayulita area.
PRICE RANGE
C$98 - C$143 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
petit hotel sayulita
LOCATION
MexicoPacific CoastNayaritRiviera NayaritSayulita
NUMBER OF ROOMS
8
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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