Singular Reforma

For something cheap in a very central spot, it’s not a bad choice. At about USD 50 a night, it felt like a decent deal compared with the risk of no water, bedbugs, cockroaches, or a scam elsewhere in that price range. The room was clean and adequate, though a bit funky. Hot water in the shower kept coming and going, but I still managed a nice shower. Staff were responsive and helpful, though sometimes hard to find. My main complaint was breakfast: I paid 100 pesos for chicken enfrijoladas and coffee, but the food was dry and only room temperature. I’d save that money for one of the nearby places.

The sheets were dirty, stained, full of hair, and clearly hadn’t been changed. The blankets were ripped, the TV was a struggle to get even one channel on, and the room had no private bathroom, just a shared one in the hallway. We didn’t even want to shower. There was nowhere to eat inside, so we had to eat in the room, where there was only one chair. My son sat and ate while I stood. Outside, people were drinking and shouting, and the small window panes weren’t properly sealed. Nobody was there at checkout. Before we arrived, they kept messaging me on WhatsApp to pay early, even though the app said payment would be made at the property. On check-in day, they pushed for payment again early in the morning. The payment terminal didn’t work, and although the staff tried to help, they seemed poorly qualified for the job and were minors. Getting the breakfast advertised on the app turned into a whole ordeal: I had to message and call four different contacts before they finally gave it to us. This was a nightmare, like staying in the worst hostel, right next to Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City. Don’t be fooled by the location and price. It isn’t even that cheap.

I stayed from December 31, 2024, to January 6, 2025, and this was the worst hotel stay in my 16 years of traveling. I chose it because Booking.com said it had a 24-hour front desk, English communication, and customer services such as an airport shuttle. Since I don’t speak Spanish fluently, being able to communicate in English was a big factor for me. I asked the hotel’s WhatsApp account how to arrange an airport shuttle before coming to Mexico City and got no reply. During the seven days and six nights, I saw just one staff member, who was rarely at the desk. The “24-hour front desk” was empty most of the time, and she spoke only Spanish, not English. The toiletries or shower amenities mentioned in the listing weren’t provided. My room was cleaned only once, even though I kept asking. The staff member had said cleaning happened every three days, but that didn’t match what took place. WhatsApp was the only way to communicate with the hotel aside from Google Translator. They would say they’d pass my cleaning request to the cleaning staff, but nothing changed. After returning to my town, I asked Booking.com for a partial refund because of the poor service. On January 5, the front desk staff had said I could request one through Booking.com, and WhatsApp said the hotel would cooperate if contacted, though they wouldn’t promise a refund. Booking.com gave me some credits, but later told me the hotel never replied when they tried to reach it. I understand the hotel may not have enough staff, amenities, or resources for a 24-hour desk. What I can’t understand is why they make false claims publicly.

The rooms were very nice, the showers had hot water, and the WiFi was great. The location was lovely, too. The staff were kind and did a great job. I was very happy staying there.