Julio Cesar Hotel

I was a walk-in customer at Hotel Julio Cesar in Posadas and requested a room-rate for two nights. Without hesitation the receptionist gave me two options: 1) pay with cash (cheaper) or 2) pay with card (more expensive). The difference in price being roughly 20%. Because I had no cash, I opted to pay with card, based upon the understanding that foreigners paying with a foreign card are exempt from VAT (IVA in Spanish). Upon check-out I requested the invoice, which did not state any VAT (IVA) and I was charged under option (2) above. Where did the VAT/IVA go? Immediately after having entered my room, I was looking for the evacuation plan and the emergency exit. Could not find any exit signs on the 8th floor. I therefore went down to the reception to inquire about emergency exits. The receptionists looked surprised and one of the receptionists followed me to the 8th floor, where she showed me a worn white door with no sign of emergency exit on it. I asked if it was locked. She opened it and showed me the staircase. In case of an emergency, there would have been panic among guests, because of lack of evacuation plans and lack of signs of emergency exit. I always look for emergency exits, because I have personally experienced an evacuation in the middle of the night at a hotel in New York. That was no fun and I learned from it. My room was large with two big windows and the bed was fantastic. Breakfast was very good and wi-fi strong. No English language news channels on TV.