Un poquito mas baratito en DF?

September 9, 2009 12:04 PM

Which hotels do you recommend that are close to (within 15 minute walk or 10 minute combi ride) MELIÃ MÉXICO REFORMA but far more affordable and in safe areas?

Conference in Mexico City (Woo!) but I can't afford the conference hotel on Paseo de la Reforma. I found a few hotels closeish that are around $68 / night, which seems much more reasonable. I will be sharing the hotel with three other people and am not adverse to a B&B or an apartment.

We will be there from Nov. 18 - 22.

I will be staying by myself until Nov. 27, so if you have additional recommendations that are WAY cheaper for just one or two people in a hip and safe part of town, that would be great!

Oh, and FWIW, we all speak Spanish at a near-native level.

posted by cachondeo45 to travel & transportation (5 comments total)

I like the Hotel Catedral just north of the Zocalo. It's about a 15 minute walk to Paseo Reforma, or you can take the metro.
posted by Wet Spot at 1:06 PM on September 9

I recently (3 weeks ago) stayed at Casa Comtesse, a cool B&B on the edge of Condesa neighborhood (perhaps the hippest part of town!). It's probably more than a 15 minute hike to the conference hotel. However it is in a safe area; not more than a 10 minute walk to a lot of great cafe's and restaurants, and it's very close to a metro stop. It's a beautiful house and the guy who runs it is young and good fun. The rooms are only $45-55 each (although with 3 other people, you'd need to get 2 rooms; the rooms are fine but not that big and there isn't a room with 2 double beds as you'd find in a more "corporate" hotel). And no, I'm in no way related or affiliated with the owner, just a happy customer!

Another option that if I remember correctly is fairly close to the Melia is Casa Gonzalez, another guesthouse except that this one has been around for awhile. I stayed there once (mid 90s), and my biggest complaint would be that while the house is lovely and feels totally safe, unless the neighborhood has changed a lot, there aren't any restaurants or cafes nearby. They did provide dinners if you gave them notice that morning and there was usually an interesting mix of people around the dining table. I've read that Senor Gonzalez, who was utterly delightful, has since died, but that his son has taken over. It still gets good reviews on tripadvisor, not that they are the "be-all, end-all" but I've had good luck with their recommendations.
posted by kaybdc at 1:37 PM on September 9

The Condesa is not that close from the conference hotel, you'd need to take a bus or metro (and you'd have to change metro lines twice, I think). However, kaybdc is right, if you're looking for a hip place you should stay there.

Hotel Principado is very close and it's not over Reforma which is a busy avenue. I've never been there but it has great reviews and it's way cheaper. There's also a Holiday Inn Express near the Meliá.

Which conference, by the way?
posted by clearlydemon at 5:57 PM on September 9

Thanks for the advice! I'll check out all of the above!
posted by cachondeo45 at 6:55 PM on September 9

I found another option near the Meliá:

City Express EBC (Google Maps). A cheap business hotel, a double is around USD$68. I have stayed a couple of times in hotels from this chain, they have few amenities and the rooms are tiny but the chain is very recent so the hotels and rooms are all new and clean.

I've seen good reviews for the Hostal Condesa, which individual rooms for $30. The location can't be beat, but I'd ask if the bathroom is shared.
posted by clearlydemon at 8:49 AM on September 10