Hotel Imperial

A balcony room is well worth getting. On weekends you can see and hear the live music out front, and catch a glimpse of the water. The hotel is right by the music, vendors, and restaurants, with the beach and aquarium about 10 minutes away. Everyone was friendly and service was good. My key once failed to lock the room, but the front desk fixed it promptly. The building is older and has just one elevator, which can be slow, but everything else was fine. I’d absolutely recommend it.

There were cockroaches in our room from day one, and in the next room too. After the rain the day before, water was leaking onto the floors, which felt unsafe. We also had no electricity or water for 24 hours, no elevator, and our room was on the 5th floor, so climbing all those stairs was insane. Service was unpleasant. We were told the power would come back, but it never did. In the morning, they moved other guests to a different hotel without telling us. My husband Gil Ochoa and I were worried about the unsafe conditions and upset that management didn’t handle things promptly or responsibly. This was a horrible experience, and I truly don’t recommend the hotel.

The building clearly has seen better days. Our first room had big puddles of unknown water on the floor, and although we quickly got another, it was badly infested with fungus and mold. Dead mushrooms hung from the bathroom ceiling beside large patches of black mold. I know damp and fungus can keep coming back in historic buildings, especially in rainy Veracruz, but it was still gross. The hotel was founded in the late 1700s and is in a great spot in central Veracruz. It looks nice outside, and the ornate marble lobby is impressive, especially the antique Swiss elevator that used to be in Chapultepec Palace in Mexico City. Even so, I wouldn’t stay again.

We were four people staying one night, and they gave us room 112 with two full-size beds. The room was okay, though the sheets could have been cleaner. It had working AC, a TV, and a window, and it was quiet enough for me to sleep well. There are local beaches and plenty of nearby places for food, ice cream, and drinks. Staff were helpful when I called the number on Google Maps. The elevator could use an upgrade, since it only allows two people, or you can take the stairs.