Hotel Plaza de Oro

The view from the window wasn't much to look at, but I really liked how clean and quiet the hotel was. It made it easy to get a good rest. The shower was nice too, and getting the temperature right was no trouble. After checkout, they also kept our bags safe for us until we came back hours later.

We were sent here by our taxi driver Rodolfo, whom we met at the airport after coming from Cabo. I'm glad we took his advice. The place felt secure and comfortable, and the staff were really welcoming. For an affordable price, we got a spacious, fancy room, very comfortable beds, free breakfast, and a nice indoor pool. It deserves five stars. The AC at 17 made the room cold, but the blankets were wonderful. I'd recommend it, you won't regret it.

The beds were large and comfortable, and the clean indoor pool was a decent size for a few families, with shallow and deep sections and not too much chlorine. If having an indoor pool at an economical hotel is your main concern, this could work. The exercise room, though, had just one Iron Man cable-powered machine, and it barely worked. No weights, sit-up bench, or anything else. Privacy was the biggest issue. There aren't any hallways, and every room opens right onto the cafe in the middle. Even with the door shut, you hear nearly everything there, so I assume they can hear you too. Not great with kids or any loud conversation. The building also feels much smaller than the online pictures suggest. Like a lot of Mexican construction, things that ought to have breathing room feel squeezed together. The lobby is full of antique sculptures and furniture, which only adds to the sense that the place is old and outdated. In the room, the tub drain was rusty and the toilet had old cracks in the ceramic. OLD, OLD, OLD! Breakfast was a mess. They advertise it as free, but the waitress sends you to reception for a paper coupon that only covers coffee and sweet rolls, and they don't give coupons to your kids. Meanwhile, there's a full buffet table that costs regular cafe prices. The food was only average Mexican fare, with no pancakes, hash browns, bacon, sausage, or waffles, none of the comfort food you'd expect at a hotel. The rolls were dry and tasteless, and the coffee was mediocre. Staff seemed reluctant to do their jobs and avoided helping tables. Then around 10am, after we'd already eaten, they brought out pancakes. I was pretty furious. My wife felt uncomfortable, so I didn't go off on the staff during breakfast. Service elsewhere was poor too. They asked too many questions when we wanted extra bath towels, and only gave us 2 for a family of 5. After removing all the towels to wash them midday, they didn't replace them. Whoever cleaned the room hadn't moved the beds, either. When we shifted them to look for something we'd lost, we found clumps of lint and dust. Gross. There are literally hundreds of options around here, so I probably won't come back. Next time I'll likely pay more for La Quinta.

It was our first trip to Monterrey, and this hotel gave my friends and me a more affordable place to stay. The staff were great and reassured us that our car would be safe. They also pointed us toward local street food and clubs we could visit safely at night. Since we had little or no phone service the whole time, having the hotel call a taxi for us was a big help.