Hotel Gran Via Central

We've stayed here five times and haven't regretted any of them. For MX$ 290, less than US$15, two people get a cozy room with hot water in downtown Mexico. The place is clean, the staff are friendly, and the city center is walkable. The rooms are small and you might hear noise from other rooms, but that somehow feels like part of Gran Via's flair. If you aren't after luxury, it's hard to beat the value for the price.

Update: on my fourth visit I was cheated out of 4745 Pesos. I left the next day and won't return or recommend the place anymore. I'd had three good stays before that, including one that lasted two months, and would have come back for 2 to 4 weeks, three times a year. I may be cheated once, but never twice. There are much better, more honest hotels within a half kilometer. The owner had always been good, but I can't say the same for the manager and at least one check-in clerk. Maybe the owner needs to replace some workers. On my other stays, it was well located, clean and quiet, with helpful, friendly staff. I've been here for 10 days and am extending another 15, so I've had a good chance to observe how quiet it is. I've stayed in pricier hotels nearby, and many seem to have a lot of late-night partying. The bus stop is no more than 50 meters away, and the subway is nearby too. It's amazingly clean and safe, and costs only 5 persos. Maybe I've been lucky, but I haven't run into rush-hour crowds on it. I've seen packed buses, though that hasn't been much of a problem. I'm 74, very fit, and probably about as physically capable as most men around 35. Mexico City is amazing. Most days I walk 15 kilometers or more. I find it much safer than any major city in the US, even safer than the small Oregon town of 22,000 where I used to live, about one thousandth the size of Mexico City. One caution when crossing streets: I find it safer to cross mid-block than at intersections. Vehicles turning right, often around a bus that blocks the view, are the main problem. I don't assume my 180-pound body has the right of way over a 3000-pound car or heavier. If you're visiting for dental work, there's a good, affordable clinic about 140 meters south. They don't try to push expensive dental implants. Coffee in the morning, pastries from a shop about 50 meters north, and a concierge who could book tours would be about all one could ask for.

This was one of the worst places I've stayed. There's no privacy and it's so noisy that if you sneeze on the third floor, people on the first floor will say "Bless you." I'd spend a little more for a better night's sleep.

It may be cheap, but the room is tiny, has no windows, and the place is crowded. You can hear everything when people talk on the phone, so you'll need earbuds to sleep well.