Hotel Don Quijote Plaza

The daytime noise was the one real drawback. I was on the first floor, and after 8:30 a.m. every day there was jackhammering at the attached business next door until about 5 p.m. Horns on the side street blared all day too, so sleeping or napping then wasn’t possible. At night, though, the hotel was very quiet. A higher room or one on the other side of the building might be quieter. Inside, my room was large, very clean, and stocked with towels, soap, and shampoo. The A/C worked well, though it wasn’t hot enough outside for me to use it. The shower never got hot, but the water was warm enough for a comfortable shower. The hotel is beautiful, with a covered atrium, seating, and a working fountain in the middle. Front desk staff were friendly and helpful. I’d read hundreds of reviews before booking and found that most of the negative ones didn’t match my experience. I stayed four nights and had no problems with the hotel itself. For the price and location, just one block from the Independencia train station, I’d definitely stay again. I truly liked my stay in every way.

The location puts you close to public transport and some central attractions. The people working there are super helpful and hospitable, and the rooms are good value. Just be aware that street-side rooms can get pretty noisy.

We picked this small hotel, with its smaller staff, hoping for a more personal stay. The location is great and the price was reasonable, but the experience fell far short. We believe money went missing from our room. Some cleaners didn’t clean and only came in to take money from envelopes labeled “tips”; others who did clean went through our belongings. When we raised it with the front desk and people in charge, they refused to acknowledge any theft. They said expensive belongings should be left at the desk, but handing personal items to a stranger there didn’t feel secure either. They acknowledged that only the cleaner assigned to our room and the front desk had access to it. They also said cleaners stayed in the room until it was clean so nobody else could enter. But I repeatedly saw them leave rooms open, with guests’ things in plain sight, while they walked the halls and talked to others. We asked to see footage of who had entered our room, but they refused and spent a whole week saying, “we are working on it.” If you want things to go missing and feel robbed, check this place out. If you want to relax and trust that the locked door keeps your belongings inside, look at other nearby hotels.

The old-school feel is nice without making the place seem outdated. It’s well located, just a couple of minutes from the Cathedral. The rooms are air conditioned, the beds and pillows are soft, and the showers are hot. It’s clean, rustic, and the staff are friendly.