Reviews of Mapi's Cabins

Thank you for your review highlighting the value and cleanliness of our budget-friendly rooms near the ferry, and for acknowledging that we’re basic and simple. As a "low-budget" accommodation, we strive to meet our described standards, and your recognition suggests we succeeded—ideally warranting an overall score of 9 or 10 rather than 7. This “overall” score impacts our small business, reflecting how well we meet our transparent description and impacts our driving visibility, far more serious to us than some may realize. It's why we kindly ask for it to reflect in alignment with the description, rather than subjective expectations of unoffered amenities or comparisons to higher-tier properties we can’t achieve, which I speculate may have happened here (which restrictions reflect on the comfort and facilities, "not" even being a one-star accommodation as described). Then there’s the “separate” 6-category survey score (e.g., staff, cleanliness, facilities, etc.) is a general guide for improvement insights, that doesn’t affect the “overall” score and where you can leave low scores. However, its vagueness poses a challenge—for example, a 5 in facilities could indicate not having a pool, no room service, no free Wifi, no mini fridge, no cable TV, no free parking but we offer all of that, was maybe some of these not working? As you can see, I'm unsure how to address this low score without providing the specifics. Or on the other hand, were you expecting 24 hour desk service, concierge, gym, shuttle or security guard etc. are facilities often found in a higer star tier accommodation expecting to pay more a night which facilities we never could provide as a "budget" not even one star tier accommodation, (the facilities we do offer is also consistant to reflecting a lower quality standard for example, we offer a pool but it's a SMALL pool). As an out-of-country owner, I depend on your detailed comments to identify issues I can’t see to then be able to guide my staff to act promptly. In this case, I’m unsure where we fell short, and I apologize for the lack of clarity on how we can improve. We encourage you to contact our staff while there, as the best option, who, given the chance, will prioritize customer service to resolve any issues immediately. We can only hope for an opportunity to enhance your experience on a future visit. Gratefully, Nilda/Owner.

Thank you for your review highlighting the value and cleanliness of our budget-friendly rooms near the ferry, and for acknowledging that we’re basic and simple. As a "low-budget" accommodation, we strive to meet our described sta… Show more

We remain grateful for your kind words and your forgiving score despite the inconvenience. Please accept my sincere apologies for the challenges you experienced during your stay. Our goal is always to provide a rewarding experience, and we regret that we fell short due to the hot water issue. Had we been made aware at the time, my staff would have addressed it immediately. I just spoke with them, and they recently noticed the problem (as they rarely use the hot water themselves) but will be taking care of it right away. Even after the fact, we sincerely value your support of our small business when still scoring us "as described", is greatly appreciated. If you ever choose to visit us again in the future, we would love the opportunity to make it up to you and ensure a much better experience. Again I apologize for any inconvenience. Kind Regards, Nilda/Owner

We remain grateful for your kind words and your forgiving score despite the inconvenience. Please accept my sincere apologies for the challenges you experienced during your stay. Our goal is always to provide a rewarding experience, and we … Show more

Thank you for sharing your experience! Many guests also appreciate the convenience of being so close to the ferry. We truly appreciate all the 10s in the survey! Though your overall score of 8 suggests there’s room for improvement. Your specific feedback would have been invaluable in helping us enhance your stay or assist you while you were here. Our intention is never to disappoint, which is why we strive for transparency through detailed photos and descriptions—so guests can base this score on the expectations delivered as described. Your comment that "rooms are simple" suggests that we did meet our description. However, we understand how expectations can sometimes lead to lower scores, especially if comparing us to accommodations in a different category or expecting a level of quality that, as a low-end accommodation, we simply can’t meet. That said, I sincerely also hope, the score was not affected by my staff or me from falling short of our goal for every guest to leave with great memories. We truly appreciate your support of our small business and would love to welcome you back! Please feel free to share any suggestions on how we can make your next stay even better. Nilda/Ownerr

Thank you for sharing your experience! Many guests also appreciate the convenience of being so close to the ferry. We truly appreciate all the 10s in the survey! Though your overall score of 8 suggests there’s room for improvement. Your sp… Show more

We sincerely appreciate your kind words. It is a pleasure to hear that our team is dedicated to giving you the best possible service. It also fills us with joy to be evaluated for what we are: a place that seeks to offer a basic and simple lodging experience. We greatly value your understanding and support in recognizing our qualities without excessive expectations or comparisons with other establishments. Your reviews are the foundation that drives our small family business, and we express our sincere gratitude for being a part of our success. We will certainly keep in mind to invest in chairs in the future. We look forward to your return so you can discover even more charms in the area. See you soon! Nilda/Owner

We sincerely appreciate your kind words. It is a pleasure to hear that our team is dedicated to giving you the best possible service. It also fills us with joy to be evaluated for what we are: a place that seeks to offer a basic and simple … Show more

Thank you, we're pleased to hear that our place matches the description. We appreciate your understanding that our accommodations may not provide a luxury experience but are clean and comfortable. Your rating based on "as described" low-end accommodations, without expectations beyond our offerings or unfavorable comparisons, is truly appreciated. As a small business, your ratings are our lifeline, we're genuinely thankful for supporting our small business. Please always feel welcome, though it’s a simple town, we hope you come back to explore what the rest of the area has to offer: seasonal whale and dolphin watching, deep sea fishing, snorkeling and scuba, Island Hopping, a diversity of beaches, hidden Waterfalls, hiking trails, kayaking, horseback riding, golf, bioluminescence night tour, Curu Reserve and further out there's hipster towns like Mal Pais, Montezuma and Santa Teresa known for their surfing. Kind Regards, Nilda/Owner

Thank you, we're pleased to hear that our place matches the description. We appreciate your understanding that our accommodations may not provide a luxury experience but are clean and comfortable. Your rating based on "as describe… Show more

We're so sorry and sincerely regret hearing about your disappointment during your stay and want to address your concerns. Our commitment to transparency is fundamental to how we operate, and we aim to provide accurate descriptions, images, and messages to manage expectations effectively. It's not to anybodys best interest for us to disappoint you and crucial to evaluate us based on provided information rather than personal expectations or comparisons to other accommodations we could never be. While we understand your frustrations, we hope to clarify the points you raised. Regarding the water issue, the city shut off water temporarily without notice—a situation beyond our control. This is typical in third world countries and especially in our remote area but these interruptions last only a few hours, and we regret any inconvenience this caused. Similarly, heavy rains can occasionally lead to rising waters which we don’t have control over mother nature, and can happen anywhere in Costa Rica or even other parts of the world but also a temporary issue. As for your room, our staff acknowledges they missed retouching it during your two-night stay, for which we sincerely apologize. However, I'm not sure how having thick curtains, can have guests look in your room or why you couldn't close them, (we don’t understand how you can stay exposed) but we’re not sure what you mean by this... But I assure you, if given the opportunity by contacting me or my staff both of these issues would have been immediately addressed but this is the first time I hear of it... You also mentioned hearing trucks at 6 AM. This is an unavoidable aspect of our location and one we disclose clearly in our Booking.com listing. On the first picture, we explicitly state: ““We’re a small family business only able to offer LOW-END accommodations, with MINIMALIST conveniences. We don’t even meet the standards of a “ONE-STAR” franchise Motel (accommodation) NOT in attention to DETAIL or CONSTRUCTION, which soundproofing was one of the things not factored in. Please be advised to bring your earplugs in case you’re a light sleeper during high season or if there are fiestas across the street.” Anybody can look us up at Booking.com under Mapi’s Cabins and everybody can see for themselves this clear disclosure, on the main picture. While we understand noise sensitivity can be challenging, we aim to prepare guests for such realities. We also send you reminders of that too, it stands to reason, if still choosing us, you’re accepting our limitations… Your complaint about staff taking chairs from the pool area seems to be a misunderstanding. We have a small staff of only 2 people. Photos and our inventory show ample seating available around the pool, even if our staff occupied them, pictures show a lot more seating. Could it be other "guests" may have been using the chairs? It’s also important to clarify our messages about "leaving a good word". These are not demands but reminders to evaluate us based on whether the accommodations matched our descriptions. As a small business, we noticed how subjectivity and comparing us to others, could easily compromise our scores. For $52 + tax per night, your stay included, 3 single beds, air conditioning, hot water (considered as luxuries and “not’ offered in most “budget” accommodations in our area nor the standard of most of Costa Rica), Wi-Fi, cable TV, complimentary coffee upon request, daily housekeeping, toiletries, BBQ access, and free parking. Maintaining all these amenities to 16 rooms, small house and Restaurant building on the property while keeping prices affordable in a remote area, relying only on our guests' support is challenging (especially when we're only booked on average of 60% yearly), we still strive to provide this value without sacrificing these comforts or raising our prices. We regret your public comparison of our property to a “sh**hole.” This characterization, shared without acknowledging the full context of your stay or our detailed disclosures, feels unfair. If seeking better quality accommodations, we encourage selecting places that better align with those preferences. We appreciate constructive feedback and always work to improve. However, we ask that reviews and scores reflect whether the stay matched what was “described,” rather than personal expectations or comparisons to accommodations outside our scope. These reviews and scores significantly impact our small business, which we rely on as our primary form of honest advertising. Your scores are greatly valuable because they support us in doing better in all aspects of our business, but the opposite happens when "not" given fair ratings. Once again, we apologize for any inconvenience caused and regret not meeting your expectations at our humble accommodations. We still remain grateful for the opportunity to host you and hope to count on your understanding of the challenges and constraints we work under as a small business in this remote area. Kind regards, Nilda/Owner

We're so sorry and sincerely regret hearing about your disappointment during your stay and want to address your concerns. Our commitment to transparency is fundamental to how we operate, and we aim to provide accurate descriptions, imag… Show more

Thank you for your valuable feedback. We appreciate your detailed input and have promptly addressed any concerns with our staff. Transparency is crucial to us, and we want to ensure that guests are aware of all aspects of their stay to score us on "as described" and not personal expectations we don't offer. For example, in the image of our listing, we openly disclose that our accommodations are “LOW-END and soundproof construction is not factored in please bring earplugs.” This is “not” the norm, if reading previous reviews, most will say it’s quiet and peaceful but we understand that noise disruptions can occasionally occur, especially during peak seasons. We still strive to maintain a peaceful atmosphere by posting reminders to keep noise levels down but noise disturbances can still occur due to varying guest behaviors, which are unfortunately beyond our control. We recommend strategies like visiting during off-peak times, requesting quieter room locations upon arrival or the possibility of a room without guests above you, to enhance your experience, and contacting our staff so they can address any disturbances but this is the first time we hear of this. Regarding the hot water issue, we keep kindly asking guests to also refer to the provided instructions on how to regulate hot water posted on the bathroom walls or to reach out to our staff when needed, rather than assuming certain amenities are unavailable. My staff has confirmed that hot water is available, and we apologize for any confusion. Your satisfaction is our priority and we appreciate being allowed to remedy the situation while you’re there as the best solution to ensuring a comfortable stay. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your support. Nilda/Owner

Thank you for your valuable feedback. We appreciate your detailed input and have promptly addressed any concerns with our staff. Transparency is crucial to us, and we want to ensure that guests are aware of all aspects of their stay to scor… Show more

Thank you for sharing your feedback on your recent stay. We appreciate your overall score and the insights provided. I'm so sorry that you missed the updates on the pool with new paint done after you left. We strive to provide transparent descriptions of our accommodations through detailed messages, instructions, and images, ensuring you have a clear understanding of what to expect so you can rate us on “as described” and not on personal expectations or comparisons to others we’re not. We acknowledge that guest preferences vary, while some find our accommodations suitable, others' subjectivity plays a significant role and will expect more than we offer. In this remote area, we face challenges in maintaining competitive prices while providing essential amenities. As air conditioning and hot water are high maintenance so considered luxuries and “not” the standard in all "budget" accommodations in this area... We regret falling short of fully meeting your expectations and appreciate your understanding of the constraints under which we operate. Your support of our small business is invaluable, and we apologize if our descriptions led you to believe or expect something more. Thanks again, for supporting our small business. Nilda/Owner

Thank you for sharing your feedback on your recent stay. We appreciate your overall score and the insights provided. I'm so sorry that you missed the updates on the pool with new paint done after you left. We strive to provide transpa… Show more

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! As an owner residing outside the country, we're heartened by your commendation of our youngest staff member. Your understanding of our limitations and how you evaluated us "as described" on our basic and budget-friendly lodging experience, is truly refreshing. Especially, your recognition of our qualities without imposing excessive expectations or comparisons with others we're not is greatly appreciated. There's still so much more to explore and experience in our area, from golfing to island hopping (with San Lucas resembling Alcatraz and Isla Chiquita), hidden waterfalls, nature hikes, deep-sea fishing, horseback riding, kayaking, and a variety of beaches: Playa Muertos, Organos, Pochote, Cuchillo, Margarita, Pajaros, Tambor etc. and venturing into nearby surfer towns like Mal Pais and Santa Teresa. Your recommendation means the world to us, and we're sincerely grateful for your support of our small business. We hope to welcome you back for another fantastic stay! Nilda/Owner

Thank you so much for your wonderful review! As an owner residing outside the country, we're heartened by your commendation of our youngest staff member. Your understanding of our limitations and how you evaluated us "as described… Show more

Thanks for your kind words and very generous scores, besides having the challenge of being affected by the noise! We truly appreciate your understanding, taking into consideration our disclosure relating this issue on the first big main picture of the listing stating “we’re low-end accommodations soundproof construction was not factored in please be advised to bring your earplugs…” Your scores show your acceptance of our limitation, while we strive to maintain a peaceful atmosphere by posting reminders in each room to keep noise levels down, we understand that noise disturbances can still occur due to varying guest behaviors, which are unfortunately beyond our control. For future stays, we suggest considering a few strategies to mitigate noise disruptions: opting for visits during off-peak seasons, requesting rooms on the second floor or further back on the property, and ensuring to bring earplugs can significantly enhance your experience. Additionally, upon arrival, you may inquire about the possibility of a room without guests above you, however, please understand that we can only accommodate such requests based on the current occupancy upon arrival and cannot guarantee availability in advance. Unfortunately, I can’t foresee having the resources able to correct this issue and honestly don't know if there's another cost-effective way to do it (we did invest putting another ceiling on all bottom cabins but this only helped a little, but we haven't given up looking into other options). I can only express how genuinely sorry we are on any inconveniences this may caused in not able to providing you a better experience. Which is why, we’re so truly grateful for your understanding of the constraints we operate within and it warms our hearts, to see this kind of support, that means the world to our small business. Always feel welcome to come back =) Nilda/Owner

Thanks for your kind words and very generous scores, besides having the challenge of being affected by the noise! We truly appreciate your understanding, taking into consideration our disclosure relating this issue on the first big main pi… Show more

Thank you... We appreciate ALL our guests but especially to those who repeatedly come back and choose to stay with us. We're truly so sorry about this oversight and we're waiting for your response from Booking message we sent you, certainly, this will not change your experience but we do hope it underscores our commitment to trying to make things right and reassures you of our priority to customer satisfaction. Again, please accept our sincere apologies and hope you will give us another chance to restore your faith in our hotel and hospitality.... Kind Regards, Nilda/Owner

Thank you... We appreciate ALL our guests but especially to those who repeatedly come back and choose to stay with us. We're truly so sorry about this oversight and we're waiting for your response from Booking message we sent you,… Show more

Thank you, for your kind words but your scores and comments make me think you might have overlooked reading descriptions, reviews, and also pictures when "you chose" to stay with us. We strive to manage expectations by clearly stating our limitations in the listing. For example in the first BIG image of our listing, we disclosed in capital letters we are MINIMALIST, "LOW-END accommodation, and "do not" offer "quality construction or attention to detail.” Looking at the pictures you would see there aren't any bedside tables or many lights. I appreciate bringing to my attention that the "hot water is slow to arrive" but my staff explained this is not unusual (I live in the USA and I also have to wait little for the hot water to kick in). We encourage to contact our staff while "there" as the best solution being sometimes "regulating" water can be a challenge for some... We acknowledge that guest preferences vary, while some find our accommodations suitable, others' subjectivity plays a significant role. We want to assure you that we continuously strive to strike a balance between affordability and guest satisfaction, and we regret any inconvenience caused. It's understood, that if you still chose us, you accepted our limitations, and kindly request for your scores to reflect "as described" description rather than personal expectations, which makes an impact on our small business score. As a small family business operating in a remote area, we face unique challenges in maintaining competitive prices while providing essential amenities, such as AC and hot water, which are not always standard in “budget” accommodations in this remote area. While we regret that we couldn't fully meet your expectations, we hope you understand the constraints we operate under. We value your understanding and support of our small business and apologize for any inconvenience. Nilda/Owner

Thank you, for your kind words but your scores and comments make me think you might have overlooked reading descriptions, reviews, and also pictures when "you chose" to stay with us. We strive to manage expectations by clearly sta… Show more

Thank you!!! We sincerely appreciate your kind words. It is a pleasure to hear that our team is dedicated to giving you the best possible service. It also fills us with joy to be evaluated for what we are: a place that seeks to offer a basic and simple lodging experience. We greatly value your understanding and support in recognizing our qualities without excessive expectations or comparisons with other establishments we're not... Your reviews are the foundation that drives our small family business, and we express our sincere gratitude for being a part of our success. We look forward to your return so you can discover even more charms in the area. See you soon! Nilda/Owner

Thank you!!! We sincerely appreciate your kind words. It is a pleasure to hear that our team is dedicated to giving you the best possible service. It also fills us with joy to be evaluated for what we are: a place that seeks to offer a bas… Show more

Thank you, we take great pride in hearing that our staff is delivering exceptional service and maintaining a high standard of cleanliness, your acknowledgment is truly appreciated. On the other hand, your "scores" show an inconsistency... Could it be that you overlooked reading descriptions, reviews and also pictures when "you chose" to stay with us? We strive to manage expectations by clearly stating our limitations in the listing. For example, the picture of the pool discloses the “size” and welcome messages are sent afterward again I stated the pool is very SMALL. We also mentioned in the first BIG image of our listing that we are "LOW-END accommodation and "do not" offer "quality construction or attention to detail”, which among other things, include mattresses, pillows, or updates. We acknowledge that guest preferences vary, while some find our accommodations suitable, others' subjectivity plays a significant role. We want to assure you that we continuously strive to strike a balance between affordability and guest satisfaction, and we regret any inconvenience caused. It's understood, if you still chose us, you accepted our limitations, and kindly request your scores reflect "as described" description rather than personal expectations, which makes an impact on our small business score. As a small family business operating in a remote area, we face unique challenges in maintaining competitive prices while providing essential amenities. Such as AC and hot water, which are not always standard in “budget” accommodations in this remote area (due to their high maintenance and cost, the main reason that we cannot lower our prices). While we regret that we couldn't fully meet your expectations, we hope you understand the constraints we operate under. We value your understanding and support of our small business and apologize for any inconvenience. Nilda/Owner

Thank you, we take great pride in hearing that our staff is delivering exceptional service and maintaining a high standard of cleanliness, your acknowledgment is truly appreciated. On the other hand, your "scores" show an incon… Show more