Plaza Fontesanta

The rooms face the courtyard, so it was quiet, though I could hear some dogs barking at night. I had a hot shower in the evening, and there’s no water boiler in the room. Everything was very clean, and the reception desk was available for my late check-in. Parking was provided in the court. No complaints.

The restaurant was decent, with okay meals at low prices. The motel itself was clean everywhere. Reception staff were extremely unfriendly and offered zero customer service. Even leaving a bag there for 3 hours was a problem. Rooms facing the main street stay noisy for almost the whole night, so forget about getting solid sleep. It’s a motel and hourly hotel, and you’ll probably end up here if you’re planning to climb Iztaccihuatl.

While one of the 300 local car repair shops works on your broken car, this is the best hotel to stay at. Just try not to wake the local carpenter family's family while walking through town at night. Their houses don’t have walls. Not sure why they can make top-notch furniture but not put walls on their houses.

When I stayed for CFM Aljaba in July 2017, I booked the cheapest room for about $22 USD. It was far nicer than a Motel 6, though below a Holiday Inn Express. The higher cost rooms are more upscale, and some have a great view of the volcano. At the cheapest rate, there are no views. My sheets were very good quality, but the bed was hard, like sleeping on the ground in a sleeping bag. I thought I wouldn’t sleep, but I slept amazingly well. The TV is like a plasma screen. The staff were polite and seemed to be on duty 24/7, but none speak two languages, so bring translation apps. There’s no free breakfast now. It costs about $5 US dollars per breakfast, and you can order a la carte. They also have a small but delicious 24 hour food service, with alcoholic and non alcoholic beverages. The coffee is better than coffee houses. The shower was the worst part. The bottom knob gives only ice cold water, while the top one is hot only, really warm. You get about 5 minutes of warm water before the flow stops. You have to turn the water off, wait for the tank to refill while you freeze, then turn the hot water back on full to rinse off the soap. I learned to shower fast. Hot water eases my joint pain, and nights here get into the 50s. I’m from a hot area of the USA, so the cold really bothers my joints. This time I stayed, during CFM- Aljaba week, the hotel was loud in the last week in July as people left in the morning and returned at night. There’s Wi-Fi and a very small table, but no office chair. It’s for people passing through. My room had only one outlet by the sink, and my extension cord didn’t reach the desk, so I wish I’d brought a much longer one. The cheaper the rate, the less you get. I enjoyed my stay and would recommend it to friends and family. I posted photos and hope they help. If you found this review helpful, please click the like icon. I stayed at Hotel Fontesanta for 4 days in July 2016 for a CFM Aljaba youth revival. I was traveling alone as a woman, didn’t speak Spanish, and nobody at the hotel spoke English. I felt safe there. I compare it to a Holiday Inn Express in the USA, and they’re about the same. The hotel has different levels of rooms. Mine faced the volcano, and I loved looking out each morning at the volcanoes with snow on them in July. There was no heat or air conditioning, and it got cold at night. It’s like a motor hotel for people driving through. There aren’t many hotel options in the area, and there’s nothing around. The streets have lots of holes. Since I didn’t speak Spanish and looked very different from the people, I didn’t feel safe walking around. The hotel didn’t offer to help with anything. Breakfast was included and delicious, but the breakfast area is tiny and there’s nowhere to meet with a group. The rooms looked like the photos. They’re smoking rooms and smell like cigarettes. Bring warm clothes and an extra blanket if you stay. I’d stay again and recommend the hotel to friends and family. I read the negative reviews, so please read them carefully. People were mainly angry because the hotel cost more than they expected and they wanted better accommodations and service. I had no expectations, so I wasn’t disappointed. I never met any staff. I paid the receptionist by pushing money through the glass window. I recommend paying by credit card or pesos. I’ve seen much worse hotels in the USA that cost more.