Boutique Hotel Belgica

An elegant and well placed hotel in the centre of Ponce, a super friendly welcome and a beautiful room. The excellent price point marred a little for us by an excessive use of air freshener and no hot water. Place = great, style = great, welcome = great, price point = great but all let a little down by some details.

Hotel Belgica occupies a wonderful old colonial building with a grand tiled entrance, high ceilings and an atmospheric spanish-era ambience. Balustraded staircases take the place of elevators but help was on hand to assist with our rum-laden suitcases. Our room was simply but adequately furnished, very spacious and served with good wi-fi. I would have preferred the bed linen to include a quilt encapsulated within a washable cover for hygiene purposes but my main irritation was the hot water was barely tepid. Desk staff attributed this to the use of solar panels but as the issue was the same both evening and morning and just an hour after mentioning it, the water temperature was suddenly much improved, I suspect the matter is somewhat more complex. Either way, I have deducted a TA blob from my rating as this aspect of our stay was quite irritating and not being properly managed. Location-wise, Belgica is just off the main square which is great for restaurants, the evening buzz and a nearby great spot for breakfast. Parking wasn't a problem as we took advantage of one of the reserved spots just outside. Even without these being available, it seemed that on-street parking wouldn't be much of a problem.

Beautiful ! very walkable to many points of interest around historic Ponce central. If your room doesn’t have what you need, simply ask the front desk, the staff are incredibly friendly and gracious. Very very clean, beautifully decorated for the holidays. Highly recommend for anyone who is looking for a unique authentic & historic experience.