Hotel Gillow

This works if all you need is somewhere to sleep without extras. Google calls it a four-star hotel, but I don't think it deserves that. I took off a star for the room condition and noise, and another because the room wasn't ready at check-in. The best part is the location, right in a very walkable area with plenty to see and do. We arrived early and the lobby staff kept our bags, which felt safe. The AC/fan was loud enough to cover the excessive noise from neighbors and outside. The shower head setup was nice, and we had hot water throughout each shower. The rooms are small and weren't very clean. They really need a deep clean. Small things like the fan and shower heads made the room tolerable. The sheets had holes and rips, although the bedding seemed clean. Our room wasn't ready at the 3pm check-in time, so we waited another 25 minutes for it to be finished. It seems the front desk and cleaning team don't communicate, and that hurts the guest experience. We arrived at 7am and asked at the desk. They said an early check-in around 1pm might be possible. But when we came back at 1pm, a different front desk person said no and pointed to the 3pm check-in time as if it were impossible. If the desk and cleaning team spoke, I think they could have had rooms cleaned earlier in the day. I napped in the lobby, then we went back out to do activities. We only had one day in the area, so we had to make the best of it.

The location is what earned this place its third star for me. Service was mediocre, and I wouldn't stay again. The rooms were very basic: the TV didn't work, there was no tissue box when I asked, the sink taps leaked, and the bedding was terribly thin. The cooling unit was on wheels and ran on a timer, so the room stayed hot and humid. Wi-Fi was incredibly unreliable, and air circulation was poor.

We got there an hour before check-in and they let us into the room early without charging extra. The staff were friendly and very patient with my rather poor Spanish. It's a very safe spot, and the location is hard to beat for exploring the historic center.

I stayed here around 6-7 times because I had a friend who worked there, and nearly missed my flight twice. At 4 a.m. the front desk never wakes you up for your flight, thank God I woke up on my own. Then they blame the bellboy, even though that isn't his job. I specifically asked for a room away from the elevator, and they never honored that request. The drivers they have outside aren't screened for security either. One of their young men took my things while driving me to another destination. When I came back and told management, they lied and said they hadn't seen him in weeks. They took no responsibility for their driver stealing from me. The service and attitudes were terrible, and it was noisy enough that I barely slept. If you're an English-speaking guest, they treat you horribly. Racism at its worst, with passive-aggressive behavior too. Definitely wouldn't recommend it. Stay far away.