Hotel Olivia

It’s close to both downtown border crossings, and the restaurant downstairs is quite good, open from 8:00 A.M. to 6 P.M. Some of the other guests give the place a motel-like feel, but it’s still a decent stay. For $30, you get a spacious room with a comfortable bed, decent bathroom, counter, desk, and table. If you want somewhere inexpensive that still has some quality, it’s a good deal. Most of the staff are friendly.

The main drawback is the gated lot. It holds fewer than 10 cars, so you might have to park on a nearby street. We’ve always gotten lucky and found a spot inside, where the car feels secure. We usually leave it there and take a cheap taxi, which I recommend. We keep coming back because the hotel has what we need for a good night’s rest. There’s a karaoke bar downstairs for people like me who enjoy singing, and a really good, inexpensive restaurant next door for breakfast. The hotel is close to the border too, which is handy.

What a bad night. The toilet seat was broken, and I fell off it and hurt myself. There was hair on the pillows as soon as we got to the room, and the AC unit didn’t work. They also made a reservation mistake and overcharged me by more than 300 pesos.

At first I wasn’t sure about staying here, but my friend and I ended up having a really nice experience. The atmosphere was pleasant, and everyone was super friendly and helpful. There are all kinds of useful places nearby: banks, doctors with a huge variety of options, a pharmacy, a church, souvenir shops, good restaurants, and street tacos. I could keep listing things. If you want to feel comfortable, this is the spot.