Being asked to pay for a room before I see always makes me suspicious - however because this place was recommened in all the major guides, I presumed this was just a quirk of the owner. However, I was wrong. In Casa Naranja, the owner probably has to demand payment in order to stop her guests fleeing from the place when they see the dismal rooms. When I saw our room, I knew I'd made a mistake, but thought I'd try and make the best of it as I was only here for one night and didn't fancy arguying with the owner to try and get my money back.
Our room was dark and dingy, with very little natural light, rather like a prison cell. The walls were scuffed and dirty and there was no door between the bathroom and the bedroom - so if you're a honeymooning couple, be prepared to learn a lot about each others' toilet habits. Not only that, the main door to the room is practically hanging off its hinges and the owner gives you a padlock to lock it - although I don't think it's much use - one... more