Fortmar Hotel

“Great location and helpful staff!”

We recently returned twice to this small hotel in front of Iraçema beach during our holidays, having stayed here once before about 5 years ago. The location is very convenient, being right across the street from the beach and the statue of Iraçema with her cross-bow (flecha), a well known landm... more

We recently returned twice to this small hotel in front of Iraçema beach during our holidays, having stayed here once before about 5 years ago. The location is very convenient, being right across the street from the beach and the statue of Iraçema with her cross-bow (flecha), a well known landmark, making it easy to tell taxis where to go etc. Plenty of restaurants nearby and nice for a stroll in the evening, although this beach is not recommended for swimming (you need to go to Praia do Futuro for this). Also we never had a problem in the evenings parking our rental car in front of the hotel. Rooms are small but adequate for a couple, although the bathroom space is a bit cramped, with new, silent split air conditioners and 32 inch LCD tvs having been installed since our last stay. The pool is not worth considering unless parents have small children who want to take a splash. Prices are very competitive (for off season at least), though sound expensive for what you get during high season (when they almost double!!). We would especially like to highlite the staff who were always courteous and Maria the manager, who went out of her way to help recommend a reputable car rental company for us, arrange a box and tape for us to pack some handicrafts we had purchased at the public market etc. We were a bit disappointed in that the hotel did not seem as well looked after as during our first stay. Corridors and doors could use painting (or at least a good scrub!!). In our room the patch where the old style air conditioner had been removed showed signs of water seeping under and bubbling the paint and plaster. Our standard size double bed with spring matress the first night was uncomfortable to the point of not getting a good night's sleep, coupled with the fact that noise from other guests in the corridors could be heard clearly inside the room. We left Fortaleza for a few days and when we came back we had a different room with a new pillow top covering the mattresses of 2 single beds pushed together. This was really comfortable and formed a queen size bed! though other guests making loud noise in the halls still woke us a few mornings... Also we noted that the sheets, while very clean, had a few holes and a small rip... Another disappointment was the breakfast. Although there are many options daily and the presentation looked appealing!!, (scrambled eggs, sausage, fruits, juices, several types of breads and cakes and local specialties like tapioca etc.), not enough care and attention has been taken. Most mornings when we went down, either the coffee or hot milk or eggs had run out and the lady looking after the area had to be called instead of her keeping a eye on what needed replenishing! Instead of making fresh coffee she just added more grounds and hot water over the old grounds, making the coffee have a burnt or over cooked flavour (Brazilian coffee is normally excellent!!), and the juices were so watered down they were almost flavourless, the french rolls and breads were also dry or day-old. Also the butter gets left on the tables from previous guests and in th hot heat makes it more like an oily soup to put on bread!! These things would be so easy to fix, so I hope they do, as we would happily stay here again on another trip to Fortaleza in the low season...

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