City Express Plus by Marriott Mexicali

The room was quiet and spacious, with blackout curtains I really appreciated. I was traveling with my teenage daughter, and we both felt comfortable in the safe, peaceful area. Staff were kind and spoke English, from the parking attendant who greeted me on arrival to the helpful front desk team. Dinner at the lobby restaurant was good, and the waiter was accommodating. Breakfast the next morning was delicious, with lots to choose from and the option to order from the restaurant. I also appreciated the later checkout. It was a one-night stay for an appointment nearby, and the whole visit went smoothly.

The room was dirty, and when I asked Kevin at the front desk to speak with the manager, he asked why I wanted to, since the manager would supposedly tell me the same thing. I tried to reach Enrique Borjas about the room, but couldn’t find him. That’s poor management and service. Breakfast is another problem: they call cereal, fruit, and bread included breakfast, but eggs, sausage, and the rest of a regular breakfast cost an extra 300 pesos per person. What they offer isn’t really breakfast, and the service was bad and the place dirty. For that price, I can’t recommend this hotel. Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Mexicali costs about the same and has better service, a real breakfast included, cleaner rooms, and a better location.

It’s an upscale place and the service was excellent. I just expected more from a Marriott: coffee isn’t available around the clock, and there’s no refrigerator in the room. That’s why I didn’t give it a full five.

The pool was out of order, and that happened after I’d already made the reservation. The Wi-Fi wouldn’t work with my name and room number, so I had to get an access code. They’d also run out of coffee cups, which meant going elsewhere for coffee. There’s no self-service ice or microwave either, you have to request them, unlike at the other Marriott City Express, which is supposedly the budget one.