Basic rooms, clean enough but not well furnished. If you like drinking, its a great place to hang out. Felipe thinks he is witty and intelligent but he's mostly too drunk to know. Lots of family drama. Don't get between Felipe and Linda. Linda will cook for you when its convenient or not at all. Assorted colourful characters with odd personalities that hover around the place. Federales like to bring their "girlfriends" there for the night. If you speak fluent Spanish, you'll be alright but otherwise you are always guessing what the 'seedy' undertone might mean.

To say the least we were pretty disappointed to see what they advertise on the web versus what is really there. The place is getting run down and dirty, to say the kitchenettes are fully furnished is a stretch, there are no queen beds as advertised, no bicycles either, maid service is also a stretch, sweeping the floor is a service of some sort I guess. The family drama kinda wears on one every day, if Linda is feeling up to it you might get some food cooked. There are better places to stay without the family drama and cheaper.

This hotel is one of those little gems that should be kept quiet, but what I saw and what I've generally read present two opposing views. So, here's a snapshot of my experience at the Hotel San Felipe.

I love it! The location is especially fine. The wave action on the beach is a bit higher than further up the bay, but it is no issue for an experienced swimmer. Those traveling with children should be attentive when the kids are in the water and that goes for everywhere!

The hotel is very clean. The service was exceptional and I felt like part of a large family after meeting so many of Felipe's relatives and adopted relatives. The food was very good and the attitude of the staff should be duplicated in every hotel around the world.

The ONLY change that I could ask for would be an in-room safe and I did query this aspect to learn that it hasn't been an issue in the past.

I had a room on the 2nd floor and was never bothered by other guests or noises, excepting that there was a fiesta weekend in town that played music at night. The room wasn't large, but was tasteful and quite sufficient for two people.

Would I return? I'm hoping to do so for a month, next winter.

I learned an important lesson from this our 2-night stay at the Hotel San Felipe: always ask if features that are listed on the web site are actually available--before you pay. Here are some comments:
First, the restaurant and bar were closed during our stay; the cook had just quit, apparently.
Second, we had no hot water for 2 of the 3 days we were there. It was warm enough for sponge bathing but certainly not for full immersion.
Third, the parrots that perch above the entrance much of the time create quite a mess on the floor, a very unappealing way to make a first impression.
Fourth, the pounding waves that I could hear from ocean-side room that I was in kept me awake at night.
Fifth, the beach outside the hotel had a steep incline and, as a result, there was a very heavy undertow. I went in once and had so much trouble getting out again that I didn't go back in. Instead, we went to other beaches in the area.
So, on balance, I was rather disappointed by the place.