Hotel Roma Guadalajara

The terrace was nice, breakfast was decent, and the restaurant staff were kind. The A/C, though, made a lot of crunching and metallic noises. My main trouble started with the reservation. Booking through Expedia meant I had to deposit money at a Mexican bank, which taught me not to book that way again. At the hotel, the desk lady gave me a room, then came knocking about half an hour later to say it was the wrong one. I’d already unpacked, but she wouldn’t let me stay because my booking was for a king bed room, not a double, so I had to move again. In all that hassle, which wasn’t my fault, I forgot my shaving kit, but I got it back that night. The next morning, I remembered I’d left my belt on the iron board hanger. I had to hurry off to work and didn’t ask the desk to check until evening. They said they’d ask the head cleaning lady, but forgot. The same thing happened the next night, and then she finally said they hadn’t found it. Too bad, because I know I left it in room 215. The location is everything here. Without the room assignment mistake and all the trouble that followed, it would’ve been great. You don’t get a second chance to make a good first impression.

For the price, the location is incredible, with the nearby plazas and museums just a few minutes’ walk away. There’s a doorman and breakfast, which made things convenient, and the rooftop and pool are great. It is a budget hotel, though: I found spots on the linens, the AC was loud, and the beds were a bit hard. Most of the staff didn’t speak English, but everyone was friendly, and the few times we needed Google Translate, it worked out well. A good choice at this price.

The hotel does a lot right, with great food, very clean rooms, professional staff, and a nice pool. I’d give it a 9 for almost everything. The beds are the problem: they’re old, too firm, and hard. Guadalajara means walking all day, so the last thing you want is to lie down on a hard bed and not be rested for the next day. I gave them a 1 for that. If they upgraded the beds, I think this could be a five-star hotel. I also wish the pool stayed open later, at least until 10 pm, since it closes too early.

The staff were friendly and the service went above and beyond, making my stay memorable. Breakfast was a proper buffet meal, not just coffee and a croissant, and the air-conditioned room was comfortable and clean. The place is worth the price, with indoor parking and an electronic slim card for the key. It’s also within walking distance of el centro and many important places.