Chalet del Carmen Coyoacán

Although it’s conveniently located and looks pretty, staying here was frustrating and it put a damper on our first Mexico City vacation, along with the incessant rain on some days. The place feels dated. The toilet took at least three flushes to clear, and the large fridge in our room was useless because its door fell off the first time we opened it. There’s a fridge in the shared kitchen, but it’s locked when the maid isn’t around. They also lock the shared bathroom overnight, so when we ran out of toilet paper we had nowhere to go, even at almost 9 AM.

Dear Manuel, thank you for a lovely stay at Chalet del Carmen in April. We felt at home quickly in our apartment, a calm little oasis with a cool atmosphere. Coyoacan is wonderful, with wide streets brightened by wisteria and bougainvillea. We also loved being so close to the market and having breakfast among the colorful fruit and vegetable stalls. A great visit, and we’ll come back next time we’re in Mexico City. Best regards, Martin.

This is a fun, distinctive little hotel with seven rooms in the Coyoacan area of Mexico City. It’s neat and very clean, with lots of greenery and an open central space, and it’s run by a Swiss immigrant to Mexico. Be ready for plenty of stair climbing. I’d book a larger room, since some of the small ones felt like tiny basic cruise ship cabins. Breakfast is a simple continental one, though they don’t provide black tea. We had a serious check-in problem because the hotel had never received confirmation for one of our rooms for three people. We had to scramble to find a VRBO nearby. The owner apologized a lot and confirmed the booking data hadn’t been sent to the hotel system. For future stays, I’d contact the hotel in advance to make sure the booking was received. Definitely give this place a try.

The manager was so polite and went out of his way to help everyone feel comfortable. I really liked having a little patio to relax in, and the place felt cozy, almost like being at home. There’s a small spot to cook and fresh coffee every day. Street parking was easy to find and felt safe with my rental car. It’s close to Coyoacan centre, the little shops, and typical Mexican restaurants. Two thumbs up from me.