sbsyncro
Junior Nomad
Posts: 40
Registered: 1-30-2015
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San Felipe Stopover 2017 ( & El Caribe review)
There is a previous thread with a similar name from last year, but doesn't address a need which I think might be common.
When I go to Bahia de Los Angeles, or points south I like to stay the night in San Felipe, since it makes for an easy travel day the following day and
breaks up the trip nicely. I just need a place where I KNOW I'll have a spot for the night and will be easy and safe to park my truck. I'll arrive
around 6 pm and leave at 6 am and don't need much else.
I used to stay at El Caribe because it is off the main drag and has an enclosed parking area surrounded by the rooms so it "feels" more secure.
There's also a little pool there which is nice to sit in while sipping a cold one.
HOWEVER, they are very sloppy how they manage reservations (someone essentially writes it on a sticky note on the wall) and last year they totally
screwed me over by selling my room before I arrived. I'd been there a week prior and talked with the gal at the front desk, who ASSURED me that I did
not need to pre-pay or leave a deposit, that she "had it written down" and pointed to a clip board with a sticky note and my "reservation".
After a 10 hour drive, I arrived in the midst of the start of an off-road race (and town was NUTS) with a flat tire, exhausted and looking forward to
a beer and some down-time before finishing the 8 hour drive the next day. "Lo siento, señor, no tenemos habitaciones..." was my greeting, despite
the fact that there was another guest there at the same time checking in who happened to ALSO have been there when I had the discussion the previous
week, and helped me tell her that I'd spoken to the other woman the previous week, etc. (and who also spoke Spanish). Shame on me for not getting
something in writing (its Mexico, right?) and shame on me for not getting and remembering that woman's name.
Instead of a cold beer and relaxing meal, I crawled under the truck and changed the tire, loaded everyone back up and hit the road out of town,
driving another 8 hours home....
Needless to say, I'm now looking for an alternative to El Caribe for my stopovers in San Felipe (or further south). Important to me in the following
order:
1. Security of the truck (with a locked shell, but with thousands of dollars worth of fishing & diving gear inside)
2. Ability to have a guaranteed arrangement ahead of time. Web site, email, or even Facebook would be fine, as long as I can get a guarantee of a room
on a specific date for a specific price. I don't want to have to rely on someone's word over the phone any more.
3. Good AC, Clean, and reasonably priced, within proximity to a decent place to eat.
Don't care about views, don't care about dogs, don't care about beach access.
Thanks for your suggestions (and contact info if you have it)!
-Brent
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64478
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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See this thread with new activity... and the Caribe gave a Nomad bed bugs! >>> http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=86901
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sbsyncro
Junior Nomad
Posts: 40
Registered: 1-30-2015
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Thanks David - not sure how I missed that thread!
I would love to somehow compile a list of the Baja hotels and whether they take reservations via email, credit cards, etc (and have bedbugs!)
Worst part about bed bugs is that they are so easy to bring home with you. Its why I ALWAYS unpack outside, put EVERYTHING straight into the washing
machine, and then vacuum out my bags/suitcases whenever I travel to places like China, Thailand, Mexico, Indonesia, etc. And the fancy places are NOT
immune to the problem!
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mjs
Nomad
Posts: 305
Registered: 2-20-2013
Location: Off grid in San Felipe
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I don't have a good suggestion for you. It's tough trying to get a single night's room anywhere on a race weekend as the race teams will book for a
number of days (pre-run and race) and what they don't take the spectators will.
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sbsyncro
Junior Nomad
Posts: 40
Registered: 1-30-2015
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Quote: Originally posted by mjs  | | I don't have a good suggestion for you. It's tough trying to get a single night's room anywhere on a race weekend as the race teams will book for a
number of days (pre-run and race) and what they don't take the spectators will. |
Thanks - the problem I had was that I actually HAD a reservation, but they gave it away to someone else in order to make more money during the race
weekend (I'd booked it a few weeks prior in person)
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