Krystal Grand Suites Insurgentes

The atmosphere felt unwelcoming from the start. Staff at reception and around the hotel seemed more focused on themselves than on the paying guests. At the desk, there was no one ready to help, and other staff just watched while I waited. Even at the cafe, no one came over, while management looked on. The restaurant asked for my room number, so I assumed they were checking whether I wanted the food charged to the room. When I asked at the end, the server said yes, but then the bill came and she told me I had to pay by card and couldn’t charge it to the room. Why ask in the first place? I wouldn’t recommend staying here.

The door staff were really nice, and the room was large. It was quiet at night, though street traffic made it loud during the day. The coffee area was hit or miss, depending on whether someone was there to staff it. I went without hot water one evening and the following morning. My keys also wouldn’t open the room, and someone had to come up and work some magic to get me in. The shower soap dispenser broke off. It’s close to my work, so I’d probably give it another try if I come back.

I was there for a wedding, and the staff were so rude. Their reservation system is a mess, so good luck getting them to honor your booking. They also don’t disable room keys, which means random people can get into your room after checking out. In my friend’s room, the ceiling cracked open in the middle of the night. The nice-looking facade and fake reviews don’t change the fact that this place is a dump. Terrible service.

The reception and bell staff were attentive and deserved their high ratings, and the location was great. But the rooms were a big part of the stay too, and there were so many issues that it was unpleasant. Maybe I should have called about every one, but ideally there wouldn’t have been this many problems to begin with. The first room was large, as was its bathroom, but it was dark, faced a wall, and had little light or view. The website showed something completely different. Its terrace had cigarette butts left in the ashtray, clearly for several days, and one wicker chair was worn out. The suite had no minibar. When I asked to move, the new room was a disappointing downgrade: both the room and bathroom were much smaller, and even on the 12th floor the view was blocked by the high-rise next door. I was paying for a room with a minibar, but the new one only had an empty minibar-sized refrigerator. There were no ice trays, and no ice machine on that floor. The kitchenette had silverware, two dinner plates and two bread plates, but no bowls, napkins, or towels. The stovetop didn’t seem to work, and the instructions were inadequate to get it going. The bathroom had one hand towel despite having two full-size bath towels. The shower drained poorly, and I later realized its drain was closed. Water spilled out and soaked the bathmat. There was dirt and dust in several places, including the washer detergent drawer, where there was visible mold. The coffee maker reservoir had residue, and the A/C filter was heavily clogged with dust and debris, which worried me about air quality. Cleaning supplies were very limited. The trash setup was impractical, with too few cans and a strong odor under the sink. There were also sloppy construction finishes, with paint splatters and rough details near the floor and baseboards. I doubt the staff are paid well for the room price, but I can’t say the same about the overall experience.