Review of Posada El Sur, Montevideo

Dear Tripadvisor,

Sorry I haven't written in a while.
And sorry also that this review is as much a review of Montevideo the city, as it is a review of the Montevideo guest house Pousada de Sur.
Firstly I would start by saying that if you really must come to Montevideo then by all means do so. It has a fascinating history, having been the centre of centuries of political and military tug-o-war between the Portuguese, Spanish, British, Italian and indiginous factions. However, i might advise that you can read about this in numerous books rather than actually have to endure a visit here. Notwithstanding this advice, if you wish to test how you will react when having a gun pointed at your face, then Montevideo could be the place for you.

I am aware that in most big cities, particularly capital cities, there will be a confluence of desperate people. In my own city of London there are areas where it is inadvisable to go. However, this is the first city I have visited where the no-go area is the historical centre where all of the touristic draw cards are geographically located. For indeed, this appears to be the case in Uruguay's capital city.

The Ciudad Viejo (old city) is where you will find the famous Mercado Publico - a must visit for the tourist with its fantastic steak grill restaurants. The same area hosts numerous historical parks and plazas, pedestrianised streets, confectionary shops, and museums catering to the tourist.
This Ciudad Viejo area is where you would want to base yourself to be within striking distance of these not-to -be-missed attractions and their attractively dishevelled environs.
The pedestrianised area of this Ciudad Viejo also happens to be the area where last night we were held up at gunpoint by a large group of teenagers, not 2 minutes and 50 metres from the door of this hostel.
Lindsay and I stepped out of the pousada and turned left onto Calle Castellanos. It was 9.30 on a Wednesday night, and aware of the area's reputation for crime we planned to walk along the well lit pedestrianised street to the vibrant nightlife area around the Teatro Solis. We would go to the ancient Bar Fun Fun or the Shannon Irish pub where tonight we were told they had a live covers band.

As we passed a group of three 30 something men in chavvy sportswear and leering faces Lindsay quipped 'they're the dodgy types that we're meant to be scared of'. This was both ironic and prescient since in actual fact, I believe that this group signalled our arrival to a larger group of teenagers on the corner of Castellanos and Sarandi to intercept us one block further south.
As we approached the corner (pictured in day time) we could see they were ready for us and they moved towards us en masse. The first youth approached with a gun pointed directly at my eyes, but the other 6-8 were crowding round us, herding us to separate areas of the street. Everyone was shouting but I would say that from where I was standing the guy with the pistol who was yelling 'tranquilo, tranquilo' actually was the source of all of the stress on that street. I turned to run, but realising that we would both need to run at the same time to get out of this I decided to succumb.
He was now holding the gun to Lindsay's head and I raised my arms, shouting 'just give them what they want'.
They ripped Lindsay's silver chain from her throat. They frisked me for iPhone and wallet.
I shouted 'don't take the credit cards' to him. Honour among thieves perhaps, he returned them to me.
As this was occurring, numerous pedestrians walked past. I presume they were locals. A normal occurrence? or maybe just Schadenfraude (i'm glad thats happening to that blonde couple rather than me). The same group now turned on a couple of girls who were walking past. These girls shouted at the youths in Spanish 'we live here you idiot'. The youths left them alone and returned to their various vantage points on the street. A well worn little play now finished. Lindsay and I had played our small parts immaculately. We had acted as a rational holidaymaker will, by complying, but now we picked what was left of our possessions off the floor, hugged and began walking briskly back to the safety of the hostel.

En route we met 2 women policia officers who, observing our countenances didn't even need to ask what happened. Looking shaky and more scared than us they refused to approach the corner where the group still held smug vigil. They turned and 'escorted' us back to the police station, a full 150 yards from the incident on the corner across from the hostel.

Only when half time was whistled in the televised Libertadores Cup football match between Millionarios and Corinthians did the world weary sergeant appear to cobble together our Spanglish witness statement. Only later when the adrenaline receded did I start to feel anger towards the impotency of the police on duty that night. They took details for the insurance records, but not once did they ask who perpetrated it or what they looked like. The reason- they knew who it was.
Back to the Pousada, and what has any of this go to do with them?
Well, when they heard what had happened they showed little sympathy. And I suppose, that is why my review of their lodgings shows little sympathy in return.

That this activity is allowed to go on unchallenged is a testament to how the residents, law enforcement agencies, hoteliers and business people of this area view this problem. To quote the old adage (overly melodramatically possibly since after all nobody was injured, at least not in a physical way) 'the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil, is for good men to do nothing'. I think it's relevant in this case. I don't think they're all evil. But I think they are lazy, selfish and (the police certainly) corrupt. Two officers standing on this corner rather than watching the footy would solve the problem. I'm not a criminologist, but this would seem self evident.

So, to conclude my review of Pousada de Sur (!) don't bother with it. You can read about it in the Lonely Planet or Rough Guide or other reviews here. You will learn about the trendy exposed brickwork in the rooms and the cool wood flooring. Both are indeed lovely. But i think the top priority of a hotel is to make the guest feel safe and comfortable. In this Pousada de Sur fails criminally, since if you are scared to leave the confines of its windowless rooms after dark, then a jail cell with funky walls is still, after all, just a jail cell.

Best regards

Nicholas Herod