Hotel Del Portal, Puebla

The balcony view was wonderful, and the staff were kind, attentive, and helpful. The location was perfect. Our room was clean and nice, though a little dated. The bathroom was the one drawback: it felt cramped, the shower curtain left water all over the floor, and warm water took nearly five minutes to arrive.

Housekeeping deserves the five stars. The rest of my stay was a letdown. I’d booked a room with a view six months ahead, but was told it had been taken by a large group and that I was staying too long. My week’s room was now 25% cheaper than when I booked, and they wouldn’t match the price. I ended up in a tiny, noisy room overlooking the building across the street, with no heat and freezing nights. Hotels.com, now part of Expedia, was no help. The hotel seems to know that and treats guests accordingly. The building looks nice and the location is great. That’s all. Go sleep somewhere else.

The staff were really friendly and let us check in early. Our room was spacious, clean, and comfortable, and the price was great. You can’t beat the location right in the zucalo, though traffic noise comes with it. We had an amazing time here!

The hotel looks gorgeous and costs little, but the rooms are tiny and there’s no air conditioning. Mine was boiling hot, and they gave us a portable fan instead. The water pressure was so poor that showering or flushing was a struggle. The restaurant cashier had a terrible attitude and seemed to hate her job. Apart from that, the hotel isn’t bad.