Hotel Monarca

Please watch for a double charge. My husband checked in and paid with his card, but was told it had been declined and given a receipt. They then asked him to pay cash. Later we discovered my card had been charged. He showed them the charge and told them, but they refused to refund the cash, so we were charged twice. Don’t use your card, pay cash only. The area is nice, so find another hotel there. A small fridge would also be helpful.

The rooms look much better in the pictures than they do in person, and they feel old. You can choose a room with or without windows. It feels like a sex motel, and there’s no soundproofing at all. The shower is tiny, but at least it has hot water. The towels were clean, the sheets okay, and the staff very friendly and helpful. All the bad reviews here are true ;) It’s fine for a day or two if you’re on a budget and don’t sleep lightly.

The shower pressure was the best I’ve had in Mexico, and the water was warm. WiFi worked well too. I worked remotely from my room for a day, using video calls and Power BI, and had no noise issues while I was there. It’s walkable to most things in Roma and has a good location. The room was clean and comfortable for the price, though it’s small and can get stuffy, with no real outside window, just one to the hallway. They provide a fan, which was perfect for this time of year. The bathroom’s small but does the job, and there’s potable water on every floor. I was nervous about booking because I paid only $30-40 a night and the reviews seemed iffy, but it turned out to be great value. I’d definitely recommend it to budget travelers who want a clean, comfortable place that does the job.

I arrived in Mexico City without a hotel booked and ended up staying here for 20 nights. It really felt like home. At $49 a night in the heart of Roma, it’s a hidden gem for budget travelers, with coffee in the morning and nice staff.