First of all I will state that this hotel is not for everyone mainly due to its location. Situated across from Playa Bella Vista this hotel is in an area know for its crime. Walking the neighbourhood during daylight hours was fine but I wouldn't recommend stolling the streets at night. Chances are one would never run into a problem but it just takes one lowlife to ruin your day so why take the chance. There are ample taxis parked in front of the hotel during most of the day/night so there is no need to walk. I selected this hotel because I wanted to stay away from the AI hotels and I wanted a cheap place to stay. For my needs the hotel was quite suitable.

The hotel itself is clean with friendly,helpful staff. The rooms are small but comfortable and have satellite tv with english channels such as HBO available. Room safes are included with the room and utilize key blocks. You are required to sign a waiver if using the hotel safe agreeing to pay to replace the key block if you lose the key. AI hotels have limited channels and most require that you pay $2 per day for the room safe. At 110 BsF per night the room the hotel is an good value choice. The hotel does have a little pool with a pool bar.

The rooms are small with comfortable beds. If you require additional pillows, etc then simply ask the staff. I found them to be very helpful. There is a air conditioning unit mounted on the wall which may be too cool for some but I found it refreshing. The showers are a bit of a pain as the sliding glass shower doors are difficult to move and tend to fall off their tracks. There was usually hot/warm water but it sometimes it was cold due to the other guests using up the hot water.

Hotel security was good. They lock the front doors at night but a security guard will let you return to the hotel in the wee hours of the morning. The hotel also has a fenced in parking lot with security controlling the entry gate. This means you can rent a vehicle and park it without worrying that some crooks messing with it.

There a number of restaurants in the area of which one (El Rancho de Pablo) is considered to be very good. There are also several small convenience stores located across the street and one of these has a small internet cafe. If you can't find what you want at these stores then you can go to the Rattan store located on Ave. 4 de Mayo. Rattan is a huge store with a wide variety of products including food and booze.

Playa Bella Vista is definitely not one of the nicest beaches on the island and I had no desire to swim in its waters. There are some businesses located along the beach including Miss Playas which is a decent place for lunch and cheap beers.

Money exchange was very easy to find and I was getting up to 4000bs. Money changers in Porlamar were giving better rates than those located out at Playa El Agua. You didn't have to look to hard to find the moneychangers because they found you!

If you are looking for a cheap, clean, secure hotel in downtown Porlamar and you are aware of the potential problems that may arise from staying in this area then Hotel Maria Luisa may be something you want to consider. Also, be aware that hotel staff do not speak english.

Rancho de Pablo pic - http://travel.webshots.com/photo/1389217072033582113JBZmdn