Mexico City Hotel Tips by Laura_Mexico Top 5 Page for this destination

Hotel NIKKO: For business travel, and HIGH budgets! Hotel Nikko Mexico Review

This hotel is usually preferred by businessmen traveling to Mexico City and also by high-profile artists (singers, bands) staying in town. The main reason besides its convenient location is...... its high rates!! It is a luxury hotel with a lot of amenities but the rooms there are quite expensive compared to the average rates in town, even at other high quality hotels. However, I've heard that the Hotel W has even higher rates: I don't know if this is true at all times and for all kind of rooms but checking on Expedia.com I found out that they DO have higher rates now, and the Four Seasons' and the Marriott's are even HIGHER! So apparently the rates at the Nikko aren't as outrageous as I always thought...

Just for you to have an idea of what the prices are like at the NIKKO, the cheapest room available for 1-2 people (October 2006) is USD $170 per night, but it is an Off Season Promotion Exclusive Rate for a 2 Twin Superior Room..... this same room costs USD $300 on a regular rate!!! They also have Jr. Suites @ USD $450 and up (USD $650 per night the most expensive suite).

I've been to the Nikko a couple of times (didn't sleep there, of course, I just visited the bar) and it is a nice place, so if you have the money to afford it, go for it!

Unique Qualities: The bar is pretty cool, quite spacious and they play good music.... it's a good place to relax after a busy day. Prices are quite high too, of course.

However, they serve a buffet breakfast at their main restaurant on Sunday morning (perhaps on Saturday too, not sure) which costs USD $15 per person and has a wide variety of dishes.... the food is pretty good and the service too, and the price isn't too outrageous so you may as well try having breakfast here (at least) some time.

Address: Campos Eliseos 204, Polanco

Comparison: more expensive than average

Phone: +52 (55) 5283 8700

Price: US$120-180

Theme: Hotel

Website: http://www.hotelnikkomexico.com.mx

FINISTERRE and MONTREAL: Small hotels in the south Hotel Montreal Review

Lodging in Mexico City can be very cheap, and I can say there are lodgings for all budgets. We have nice hotels which aren't expensive at all, and some of them are very well located depending on the area where you want to be. Again, I suggest that you stay in the central-south part of the town, but obviously the closer you are to downtown or the touristic zones, the more expensive the lodging will be.

There are a couple of hotels I recommend very much, where my ex-fiance used to stay every time he came to Mexico City and which are nice (I've been there so I saw it with my very own eyes!). Both are placed down south, close to Coyoacan area and right in front of a metro station. The 2 hotels are next door from each other and their prices are very similar, just about the same actually. These are the MONTREAL and the FINISTERRE hotels.

Unique Qualities: The rooms are fairly big (as well as the beds & bathrooms) and clean, good looking and they have cable TV. The hotels have their own restaurants, but they're expensive and it's better to walk a few meters and go to the nearby restaurants, which are cheaper. Both hotels are located across the street from a Metro station (Taxqueña), which will allow you to move around and go to the most interesting parts of the city easily and quickly (it's the starting point both for the metro blue line #2, which leaves you right in downtown, and the train that takes you to the Xochimilco area). The avenue where they're placed is an important one, so you'll always have taxis available if you need them. NOTE: the price does NOT include breakfast.

Address: Calzada de Tlalpan No. 2073 & 2043

Comparison: less expensive than average

Directions: Almost across the street from Taxqueña metro station, south of town. The email of the Finisterre Hotel is: hotelfinisterre@hotmail.com (as posted in the yellow pages).

Other Contact: hotelfinisterre@hotmail.com

Price: US$20-40

Theme: Hotel

Maria Isabel Sheraton - SUCKS!: DO NOT stay at this hotel! Sheraton Maria Isabel Review

I live in Mexico City so I have not slept at this hotel; however, I do strongly advice that you NOT stay here during your visit to Mexico City. You will see some of their publicity on VT, but there are so many other choices that you should just leave this one out.

I will not start a political disertation here because it is not the right place to do so... So I will only say that this hotel, owned and run by a company from the USA, kicks out guests only because of their nationality following instructions from their headquarters. There is currently a big scandal in Mexico because the executives at this hotel - if they can call themselves a real hotel - asked a group of Cuban businessmen to leave the facilities only because they were Cuban and for this very reason the US-headquarters ordered that they be kicked out. Amazing that such thing can happen nowadays and, moreover, outside of the USA where the US legislation - and their prejudices and/or preferences for that matter - is NOT valid.

The people at the Mexican branch of the hotel located in front of our Independence Monument (there is one more right in downtown and another one in the outskirts of the city, towards the west) proved to be really narrow-minded but I suppose they had no choice but to obbey the instructions coming from their big bosses. However, this was a violation to the Mexican law, to the Human Rights and a total lack of manners and common sense from people who are supposed and required to provide the service that the guests are paying for.

To top it all: the Cuban businessmen had paid in advance for their 3-day stay and they DID NOT get a reimbursement after having being expelled from the hotel............... would you like to stay in such a "hotel"??????? I'd rather NOT! Stay away!

Address: Paseo De La Reforma 325

Comparison: more expensive than average

Phone: 52 55 52425555

Theme: Hotel

YOUTH HOSTEL MONEDA: Hostel for lower budgets Hostel Moneda Review

This Hostel is about 8 US dollars a night, in a dorm room, breakfast included. If you wanna have a more private room (for 3 or 4 people only, cause the dorm rooms are for 8-10 people) you have to pay around 12-15 dollars per night, which is still cheap.

Unique Qualities: This is a very well located lodging, it's great for youngsters because of the price and seems to be a pretty nice option for those who don't care a lot about having a luxury & fancy room in a 5 ***** hotel and whose budget isn't great. The breakfast is included, it's close to many of the major attractions of the town (so you don't even need to pay transportation) and you can get to meet a lot of people there.

NOTE: I wanna thank Rudy from Austria (fly_away in VT) who gave me this tip and kindly agreed to share this information with me and the rest of the VT community through my site. Thanks! :)

Address: Calle Moneda #8, Centro Historico (downtown)

Comparison: least expensive

Price: less than US$20

Theme: Hostel

HOTEL POLANCO: For higher budgets Hotel Polanco Review

If you're willing or able to spend some more money in your lodging and want to be in a "chic" area, you can go to Hotel Polanco. It's located in this nice neighborhood, close to several shopping centers, to the Bosque de Chapultepec and the many museums located in this zone (Antropologia, Castillo de Chapultepec, Reforma Avenue with its open air expositions), and you won't be too far from Zona Rosa and downtown. There are 2 metro stations closeby, so you can move around without difficulties. You will also find a lot of nightlife in the Polanco area.

Unique Qualities: It has 71 rooms, they usually have a lot of availability (at least during the low season) and the amenities include a gym, business center, tour desk. They also have an Italian restaurant (La Bottiglia) & lobby bar. There is no parking. They also have an 800 number to call within Mexico (outside of Mexico City): 01 800 2219044.

A double room here will cost you approx. $110 US Dollars (around $1,200 Mexican pesos) per night, which is a bit expensive under my point of view but is pretty decent compared to the big luxury hotels located in Polanco (Presidente Intercontinental or Nikko, which rates are around $255-$300 US dollars and up). They have lower rates during the weekends and holidays. The rooms are nicely decorated - European Style - and feature cable TV, internet fast connection for free, telephone, safety box.

Lots of pictures and more info at the hotel's web site (please see link below). You can even make your reservation on line.

Address: Edgar Allan Poe 8, Polanco, Mexico City (DF)

Comparison: more expensive than average

Phone: +52 55 52808082

Price: US$80-120

Theme: Hotel

Website: http://www.hotelpolanco.com/

HOSTAL CATEDRAL: Another hostel... Hostel Mundo Joven Catedral Review

If you're looking for cheap accommodation, this can be another option. This hostel belongs to the Youth Hostelling International association, so you will certainly find it in any hostel guide. I don't have the prices for this one but I suppose it's very similar to the hostel Moneda, in the previous tip. They have a small bar in the lobby, internet access, a youth travel agency (Mundo Joven) and it's located in a very nice place, right in the heart of town.

Address: Republica de Guatemala #4, Centro Historico

Comparison: least expensive

Directions: This is located right behind the Cathedral, with visible flags in the outter part.

Theme: Hostel