Mafolie Hotel & Restaurant — Restaurant in Saint Thomas

I try and avoid writing scathing reviews because I try to find silver linings in poor experiences but this was not only a terribly disappointing dining experience, it was just downright bewildering. Upon checking in with the hostess who couldn’t even crack a welcoming smile for us, we were told to wait while our table was being prepared shortly. About 20 minutes later, the hostess motioned to us, still without a smile, to follow her. We may as well have been being lead off to prison. Upon being seated, a very cheerful young kid introduced himself and brought us water. About 10 minutes later, Kyle, the server showed up and took our drink order. After this point, our water glasses were refilled twice in the 2 hour period we were there, and each time it was because we asked. The conch chowder arrived, and this was probably the only enjoyable part of the evening. We then waited 45 minutes for our main course. I noticed the table next to us, who arrived after us had received their meal. Kyle had been MIA for the last 45 minutes, perhaps he snuck off to take a quick nap, so I asked the other tables server if she could get a hold of him. Evidently, she must have known where he had been in hiding, because not a minute later he appeared tableside and said our entrees would be “right out”. This was the second time we had heard this. A few minutes later, our food arrived. We had both ordered fish, and the vegetables were cold so they had likely been sitting on the counter. Nonetheless, we dug in. I had ordered the mahi mahi, but upon trying to cut it, I discovered it was in fact chicken. I even questioned it myself at first – how could a restaurant serve chicken in lieu of fish. The preparation and sides were all as described on the menu – with the only difference being that a chicken breast had been plated instead of fish. My husband took a bite and confirmed it was definitely not fish. I went and hunted down Kyle, and told him of the error. Without even seeing the plate, he insisted it was fish. Not wanting to deal with this himself, he trotted off to get a manager. The manager appeared and asked what the problem was. I shower her my plate and the chicken and she agreed that it was definitely not fish. She even mentioned that she herself did not eat chicken so she understood my frustration. She went off to the kitchen and minutes later returned with an identical plate, except this time it was very clear that fish was on the plate. She then said, verbatim: “the chef said it was fish, it was just over cooked”. I was bewildered. Had she not just looked at this chicken, and agreed it was not fish, and was now saying it was over cooked fish? I have to wonder where the chef received his credentials, or if he had had his eyes checked recently. Or if he was just totally insane that he would legitimately believe a chicken breast was a fish filet. Secondly, if you believed fish was overcooked, why would you serve it. (side note, the fish my husband had ordered WAS overcooked) Even Kyle, who eventually came out of hiding, told us it actually was fish. I still can’t believe this. They offered to “buy us a round” which turned out to be a different wine from the first glass, and I was given sprite because they were out of ginger ale. Throughout the entire evening, none of the staff exhibited an ounce of care or concern with regards to our issue, let alone any shred of hospitality – except the buss boy. It seemed that no one wanted to even be there that night at all and they were intent on doing the absolute minimum to get through the evening and then go home. I would never recommend this place to anyone. If you truly want the welcome and warm experience that one expects on a beautiful Caribbean island, this is definitely not where you will find it. And it’s definitely not where you can expect to get what you ordered, and then be told you cant tell the difference between chicken and fish.

(pictured: the "fish"...

I have so much to say about this hotel. I was a little apprehensive at first because there were some bad reviews and some of the pictures showed quite dilapidated rooms; but, the hotel is being slowly renovated. Yes, the place isn't modern but its charming and quaint. If they did modernize it, the rates would be go through the roof and I think you get a great deal here for the price you pay. I mean the view alone should warrant a more expensive fare but $195 is awesome. We stayed here for 7 or 8 nights and while our accommodation was not fancy by any means, it was the best part of the trip. We woke up to the best view of paradise every morning and because our room was right over the kitchen, we could smell the fresh breakfast being prepared. It's a really great breakfast considering it's free. It REAL food unlike the free continental breakfasts you often find in the states. The staff took extremely good care of us each day and they talked to us and got to know us. Rosie, who cooked the omelettes was patient and helped us navigate the breakfast area our first morning there. The other morning waiter (forgot his name) offered to give me a ride to the AT&T shop after my phone stopped working! I mean who does that? Such a nice gesture! The lunch was tasty and the fare was perfectly satisfying considering the heat. There was a different Rosie who worked the bar in the evenings. OMG her signature drink tasted like Kool-aid and was super refreshing! There was another bartender (forgot his name too) who was an older gentlemen but boy he could whip up the best cocktails! Patrickson was our waiter a few nights in a row. He is the best! He took us around the island on the day before we left and showed us how a local has a good time! We talked for so long and had so many good drinks. He even suggested the best dishes to get at the Green House! Ask for him by name if you really want a good time! The chef came out of the kitchen one day during lunch and we had a nice little chat. Rehenia (I think that's how you spell her name) is the restaurant manager and she is awesome. She was out each night in the dining room and you can tell she has a good relationship with the other staff members and the guests. There were two front desk guys (can't remember their names) who helped me out a lot when my phone stopped working during the trip. The hotel has a business center which can take care of your basic needs- I mean you're on vacation here so don't spend too much time in that part of the hotel. Go to the pool which over looks the island and has great views. My spouse and I had a nice little nap out there! If you don't want to eat at the hotel every night you can walk to Sibs on the Mountain which is about a 10 minute walk up. Its got good food and decent prices. Christine (as well as the other staff) was awesome too. I could go on forever about how great this place was- even the locals stay and eat there- but this will do for now! If you're thinking about booking this place, do it! I don't think you'll be disappointed. Again, its not modern and it doesn't have the amenities of the Marriott or those cruise ships but if you're looking for a local place away from the hustle and bustle Tourist Town- this is definitely the...

The moment I arrived there were issues with my reservation being canceled. One of the staff tried to fix the issue and offered me an upgraded room as an apology (which I thought was a kind gesture), while another staff who assisted was extremely rude. I felt her tone belittling and discriminating – as if I was less than, or trying to mooch when simply explaining that I never reserved nor canceled through booking.com and had now lost my traveler miles by their cancelation (which was what brought me to that location). This was only the beginning. While very clean and beautiful, my room ended up having bedbugs. When I lay on the bed, I had an allergic reaction and felt myself being continuously bit. I then decided to inspect the room and every time I slapped the bed covers, small tiny bugs would fall off, and the same with the window curtains. I looked through the cupboards, and there were the bed bugs I feared. I requested a new room that would for sure be clear of bed bugs and was granted it. I also asked for plastic bags to seal my things in, which the one rude staff from earlier hesitantly provided. The next day, I asked the manager if they could wash all my items in hot water to ensure all bugs were killed and did not spread. She agreed, but only after denying my claims and having to show her how badly bit both my legs were and that I had pictures to prove the bugs were indeed in their hotel room. The next day, when I went to drop off my items, the rude receptionist refused to take my clothes. Her demeanor towards me was so disrespectful, telling me even though her manager had agreed to the wash, she wasn’t going to take them and I was going to have to figure it out when the manager arrived later in the day- not wanting to give me an exact shift time. I had to become assertive and tell her I was not taking no for an answer, because I had to fly out the next morning and was not taking those bed bugs with me. I couldn’t believe this was happening to me. I had spent the previous two days burning up in bites, paranoid of bugs, delaying my exploration plans to care for the bites, and embarrassed to wear my bathing suit and enjoy the beaches. Despite these troubles, I never asked them for a refund- the least they could do was wash my items. Even if only in their own interest to prevent further infestation. Thankfully, the manager later arrived- ensuring the clothes were washed by that night and offering apologies. Many of us work hard to be able to travel and enjoy ourselves during our vacation. We are miles away from home, seeking to stay in a place that will ensure comfort, rest, and safety. In fact, we not only seek it, we pay to be guaranteed it. I trusted that Mafolie would provide this service and was severely disappointed and depleted by the end. I do give the hotel 2 stars rather than 1, to acknowledge the hotel is very clean, and the new room did not have bed bugs. The property has incredible views, and I can tell the owners are doing their best to upgrade, repair, and remodel. I trust their services will improve moving forward; nonetheless, the way I was treated is unacceptable and far from what I hoped for during...