Hotel Maria Cristina

The staff are the reason I’ll keep coming back to Hotel María Cristina for the next twenty years. Everyone was as warm and friendly as I remembered from childhood, taking time to ask how we were and how our travels were going. We flew in and out of Benito Juarez Airport and stayed at María Cristina at both ends of the trip. They went especially far to make my 83 year-old grandmother comfortable, which I really appreciated. It’s down the block from good restaurants, quiet, and still walkable to the Zócalo and other attractions if you don’t mind a decent walk. It’s also about a 30 minute drive or taxi ride to Coyoacán, La Casa Azul, Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and the airport. I’d suggest Museo Casa de Carranza at the end of the block too. The architecture is stunning, and it gives an interesting snapshot of the time around the Mexican Revolution. The hotel is beautiful, especially the garden and reception area, and that gives it a distinctive charm. Some parts are a bit outdated, and some rooms could use an update, but that doesn’t take away from what makes the place special to me.

A place with plenty of charm, good value, and lots of staff on hand.

The location is great, and the rooms are spacious for what we paid. The cleaning staff did an amazing job, and the restaurant and bar staff were lovely. They brought warmth to the hotel, which helped balance out the cold treatment from reception. There’s also a lovely garden and bar, plus the cutest hotel cat, who’s very well cared for. Reception really brought down my score. The staff were cold and unhelpful, and when we checked in they didn’t tell us about the hotel amenities, even though they’re pretty great. We had to discover them by exploring the property ourselves. In a new city, reception is usually the first place you turn for help, but here it didn’t feel welcoming. I’d booked a double room in advance, but on arrival they said they were sold out and could only give us a single room. There was no apology or attempt to fix it. They also advertise money exchange, but only keep 10$ on hand, which is pretty useless. Reception staff need training in professionalism. They’re the main reason for the lower score.

The hotel has a lot of character and a great location, but the rooms are starting to look tired. Breakfast was a hassle and didn’t feel worth the price. You have to get a coupon at reception before sitting down, and staff may be busy or simply look at you. The waiters offer juice or fruit, but you can’t have both. They also openly ask for tips when they haven’t earned them. I suspect that’s universal across Mexico, since tipping culture has overflowed from the USA. I’d eat somewhere else.