Hotel Reno

It's a two-star motel. The room was clean, though it had an odor, and the noisy area made it hard to sleep. We only stayed because our flights were delayed and this was the only dog-friendly place we could find, since most hotels in Tijuana aren't.

At checkout, an employee demanded $57 for three stained towels, supposedly to remove the stains. That seemed ridiculous, since even new towels wouldn't cost that much. One towel had been used as a bath mat because none was provided. I had two rooms and had left a 520-peso tip in an envelope. I told him to open the room so I could get the tip if I was expected to pay for towel stains. When I got the envelope, only 20 pesos were there; he'd taken the 500 pesos. After I asked several times, he pulled it from his pocket and gave it back. He was clearly taking from the hardworking maids. My deposit was $60, and I refused to pay the $57. The employee then said 200 pesos would be enough, and I paid exactly that. When I called the manager to complain, I was told they charge 100 pesos per stained towel, but the employee had asked for more than 1,000 pesos. He also stole from the maids. His picture is below. I think he was trying to take advantage of me because it was 1 a.m. and no other employee was there.

The staff were the best part. Everyone, including the cleaners and food staff, was very kind. It's also cheap for a place near downtown, and we could walk to good food, the cultural center, the aquarium, and the dentist we were visiting. It's in a handy spot for getting out of town toward Rosarito beach, too, and much quicker to come and go than the pricier hotels half a mile north across the river. The room was a good size, the beds and mattresses were comfortable, and the shower was good and hot. Pillows were just okay. The bathroom was spacious, and they provided shampoo and a bar of soap, but our shower leaked, so we used a towel to stop it. The mini fridge was fine and the microwave worked, though it was quite small. There was no coffee, water, or tea in the room, but you could get coffee in the small lobby. Breakfast came from a nearby restaurant. The free meal had lots of choices and the food was great, with the option to pay extra for other dishes. At night, light came in through two uncovered bathroom and sink windows, and the blind on the large window wasn't blackout. If that bothers you, you'll need to find a way to cover at least the smaller windows. There was some traffic noise because the motel is right by a highway. It wasn't terrible, but a loud car could wake you. I use a sound machine to cover it.

Room 27 was upstairs beside the street, and the late-night noise made it hard to relax. Better insulation or double windows might help. The Wi-Fi kept dropping, too. The room itself was clean, with fresh towels, a microwave, refrigerator, and split AC that worked well. Free parking was a plus, and one receptionist could speak English. The pillows were fine and had clean white covers, but there was no white sheet on the bed, which I found unhygienic and unacceptable. This place could be good, but they need to improve the service if they want five stars.