Novotel México City Centro Histórico

The charge is still unresolved, and I may have to dispute it with my card issuer. I canceled a one-night, nonrefundable booking a few weeks before the stay, which I had paid for with Accor points. Losing those points was expected, and I was fine with it. But after the date of the stay, the hotel charged my card the full room price, even though I would never have booked that room with cash. When I contacted the hotel and asked for the duplicate charge to be refunded, they said they had returned the points. They hadn’t. And even if they had, that wouldn’t address the cash charge. The response has been really disappointing, and dealing with this has been a hassle. I’m sharing this so other guests know what happened, and I hope the hotel resolves it.

The staff at the desk and breakfast were friendly, helpful, and spoke English well. The hotel is about a 15-20 minute walk from the zócalo, with easy access to the pink line metro. My single room was clean, modern, and well cared for. Coming from the US, I found it roomy compared with a single room I’d stayed in in Europe. The shower was spacious, with both a rain head and a handheld wand, and the water was hot with great pressure. They left two small bottles of drinking water in recyclable containers each day, and there’s a filtered refill station in the lobby too.

Traffic from the nearby large street can be noticeable, especially on weekday mornings. Still, this is a comfortable, convenient base right in the city center, with major attractions easy to reach. The rooms are modern, clean, and looked after, and the staff are welcoming and helpful. Breakfast and the facilities, including the gym, terrace, WiFi, and room amenities, are all solid. Good value overall.

René, one of the bellboys, was the one person who really showed the hospitality I expected: attentive, professional, courteous, and a great communicator. The rest of the service left a very different impression. The hotel itself is fairly new, with modern finishes, and it’s about a 15-minute walk to the Historic Center and Plaza de la Constitución. The property is adequate, but the service falls short of what I expect from Novotel and Accor Live Limitless. As a Diamond member, I’m familiar with Accor’s usual recognition. The stated policy is an upgrade by one category when available, and many hotels do a little more when they can. Here, we went from a standard room to an executive room that was essentially the same, with a few extra items like a shaving kit and shoe mitt. When I asked politely whether a higher category might be available because I was traveling with my partner, the desk agent said no. I checked the Accor app shortly afterward and saw three higher categories available to book. The lack of an upgrade itself wasn’t the main issue; being told something that appeared untrue was. Breakfast had a similar feel. Each morning, three staff members were chatting behind the counter. No one greeted us, helped us find a table, or offered coffee, and eye contact didn’t get their attention. Once we spoke to them directly, they were polite and reasonably quick, but the first impression had already been set. The night desk attendant was also notably rude and showed little warmth or attentiveness. With better oversight and staff training, this could be a much better hotel. As it is, inconsistent service and management undermine the stay.