Hostal de Maria

The staff, Art, Toni, and another guy whose name I can’t remember, were kind and very helpful. The hostel is clean, peaceful, affordable, homely, and convenient, and it’s a great base for exploring the historic downtown. There’s a really good cantina across the street with live bands on weekends. I highly recommend staying here, and I’ll definitely come back when I return to the city.

It’s quiet and peaceful, and we love visiting when our friends from BSSM come to visit local Church's in Guadalajara. This place has a lot of history and is big enough for groups of up to 20 people. Management could improve the bathrooms, though. They smell a little.

I’ve stayed here for a month and loved it. The courtyard is tranquil, a good place to work, read, or relax with a beer at the end of the day. The staff are brilliant and help with whatever you need, and I think the rooms are well priced for what you get. For a digital nomad, the internet was acceptable, though not the best in the world. You’re in Mexico, so it could be much worse. It’s close to the center, including the cathedral and other sights. During the day, you can eat at 9 corners, a nearby plaza, and at night head to La Occidental for a quiet drink.

The location is superb, with the centro historico just a five to ten minute walk away. In las nueve esquinas, the nine corners neighborhood, there are several restaurants serving birria, Guadalajara’s famous and delicious goat meat stew. The staff are friendly and helpful, and when we drove, we could park for free in the plazuela in front of the hostel. We’ve stayed here three times, and it’s our favourite place to stay in Guadalajara, which is our favourite place in Mexico. It’s mainly a youth hostel with dorms, but at the back by the shared kitchen and eating area there are two private rooms upstairs. They’re cramped but comfortable, with just enough room for luggage and a double bed. As a couple of senior citizens, we always choose one of those rooms. Highly recommended.