Hotel Santa Helena Plaza

Location: Galeana 304, Col. Centro, Oaxaca, OAX, 68000, Oaxaca, MX

Star Rating: 2 Stars

Property Type: Hotels

About this Property

Important Information

Policies

Check-in: 03:00 PM - anytime

Check-out: 12:00 PM

Instructions: Front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property.

Amenities & Facilities

• Free WiFi
• 24-hour front desk
• Terrace
• Luggage storage
• Designated smoking area
• Television in common areas
• Safe-deposit box at front desk
• Tours/ticket assistance
• Wheelchair accessible parking
• Free self parking
• Water dispenser
• Wheelchair-accessible van parking
• Change of towels (on request)
• Change of bed sheets (on request)
• Upper floors accessible by stairs only
• Well-lit path to entrance

Rooms Available

• Superior Room

  2 Double Beds

  Balcony/patio with pool views

  
  

  Internet - Free WiFi

  Entertainment - 24-inch flat-screen TV with cable channels

  Food & Drink - Free bottled water

  Sleep - Bed sheets

  Bathroom - Private bathroom, shower, and rainfall showerhead

  Practical - Laptop workspace, phone, and iron/ironing board (on request); rollaway beds (surcharge) available on request

  Comfort - Fresh bed sheets (on request), fresh towels (on request), and daily housekeeping

  Need to Know - Toothbrush and toothpaste not available

  Non-Smoking

  Max Occupancy: 4 (4 Adults)

  • Shower
  • TV
  • Telephone
  • Desk
  • Private bathroom
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Toilet paper
  • Bottle of water
  • Shampoo
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Separate sitting area
  • Free WiFi
  • Rainfall showerhead
  • Balcony or patio
  • Bedsheets provided
  • Soap
  • Laptop-friendly workspace
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste available
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste not available
  • Change of towels (on request)
  • Change of bed sheets (on request)

• Standard Double Room, 2 Double Beds

  2 Double Beds

  Features a private balcony

  
  

  Internet - Free WiFi

  Entertainment - 24-inch flat-screen TV with cable channels

  Food & Drink - Free bottled water

  Sleep - Bed sheets

  Bathroom - Private bathroom, shower, and rainfall showerhead

  Practical - Laptop workspace, phone, and iron/ironing board (on request)

  Comfort - Fresh bed sheets (on request), fresh towels (on request), and air conditioning

  Accessibility - Wheelchair accessible

  Need to Know - No rollaway/extra beds available, toothbrush and toothpaste not available

  Non-Smoking

  Max Occupancy: 4 (4 Adults)

  • Shower
  • TV
  • Telephone
  • Air conditioning
  • Desk
  • Private bathroom
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Toilet paper
  • Bottle of water
  • Shampoo
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Ceiling fan
  • Separate sitting area
  • Free WiFi
  • Rainfall showerhead
  • No rollaway/extra beds
  • Bedsheets provided
  • Soap
  • Laptop-friendly workspace
  • Wheelchair-width doorways
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste available
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste not available
  • Change of towels (on request)
  • Change of bed sheets (on request)

• Superior Room, 1 King Bed

  1 King Bed

  Located on the ground floor, balcony

  
  

  Internet - Free WiFi

  Entertainment - 24-inch flat-screen TV with cable channels

  Food & Drink - Free bottled water

  Sleep - Bed sheets

  Bathroom - Private bathroom, shower, and rainfall showerhead

  Practical - Laptop workspace, phone, and iron/ironing board (on request)

  Comfort - Fresh bed sheets (on request), fresh towels (on request), and air conditioning

  Need to Know - No rollaway/extra beds available, toothbrush and toothpaste not available

  Non-Smoking

  Max Occupancy: 2 (2 Adults)

  • Shower
  • TV
  • Telephone
  • Air conditioning
  • Desk
  • Private bathroom
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Toilet paper
  • Bottle of water
  • Shampoo
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Separate sitting area
  • Free WiFi
  • Rainfall showerhead
  • No rollaway/extra beds
  • Bedsheets provided
  • Soap
  • Laptop-friendly workspace
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste available
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste not available
  • Location - ground floor
  • Change of towels (on request)
  • Change of bed sheets (on request)

• Deluxe Double Room

  2 Queen Beds

  Balcony with pool views

  
  

  Internet - Free WiFi

  Entertainment - 24-inch flat-screen TV with cable channels

  Food & Drink - Free bottled water

  Sleep - Bed sheets

  Bathroom - Private bathroom, shower, and rainfall showerhead

  Practical - Laptop workspace, phone, and iron/ironing board (on request)

  Comfort - Fresh bed sheets (on request), fresh towels (on request), and daily housekeeping

  Need to Know - No rollaway/extra beds available, toothbrush and toothpaste not available

  Non-Smoking

  Max Occupancy: 4 (4 Adults)

  • Shower
  • TV
  • Telephone
  • Desk
  • Private bathroom
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Toilet paper
  • Bottle of water
  • Shampoo
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Free WiFi
  • Rainfall showerhead
  • No rollaway/extra beds
  • Bedsheets provided
  • Soap
  • Laptop-friendly workspace
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste available
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste not available
  • Change of towels (on request)
  • Change of bed sheets (on request)

• Superior Studio Suite

  2 King Beds

  Located on the top floor, balcony with pool views

  
  

  Internet - Free WiFi

  Entertainment - 24-inch flat-screen TV with cable channels

  Food & Drink - Free bottled water

  Sleep - Bed sheets

  Bathroom - Private bathroom, shower, and rainfall showerhead

  Practical - Laptop workspace, phone, and iron/ironing board (on request)

  Comfort - Fresh bed sheets (on request), fresh towels (on request), and daily housekeeping

  Need to Know - No rollaway/extra beds available, toothbrush and toothpaste not available

  Non-Smoking

  Max Occupancy: 4 (4 Adults)

  • Shower
  • TV
  • Telephone
  • Desk
  • Private bathroom
  • Wardrobe or closet
  • Toilet paper
  • Bottle of water
  • Shampoo
  • Daily housekeeping
  • Free WiFi
  • Rainfall showerhead
  • No rollaway/extra beds
  • Bedsheets provided
  • Soap
  • Laptop-friendly workspace
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste available
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste not available
  • Location - top floor
  • Change of towels (on request)
  • Change of bed sheets (on request)

Guest Reviews

• Geraldo (10/5): - It's a hotel very close to downtown, you can walk and is a safe area. The only think it has no restaurant as announce it on line.
• Amanda (10/5): - stay we’re really friendly & helpful.
• S9075HTjorgee (6/5): Great Facilities, But Poor Management and Unresolved Reimbursement - I stayed at Hotel Santa Helena Plaza and while the facilities, location, and cleanliness were all excellent, my experience was severely impacted by a reimbursement issue that was never resolved. Hotel staff acknowledged that I was owed money and directed me to speak with the manager—who I was told is named Carlos—but he never showed up or made any effort to resolve the matter. Despite several follow-ups during my stay, there was zero accountability or communication from management. To this day, I have not received the reimbursement I was promised. It's extremely frustrating that a hotel with such good physical conditions lacks even basic customer service when it comes to addressing issues. The staff’s unwillingness to take responsibility, combined with a manager who seems to be unreachable or indifferent, left a very negative impression. Until this issue is addressed, I cannot recommend this hotel—no matter how good the facilities may be.
• María de la Luz (10/5): - Muy buena opción para estar cerca del zócalo
• Ana (10/5): - La ubicación
• Lorena (10/5): - Nos gustó mucho el hotel, las habitaciones amplias, muy limpias y todo el personal muy amables. Recomendamos que pongan un restaurante aunque sea con un menú pequeño. El único pero es que las camas no están muy cómodas, espero las logren cambiar.
• FRANC (8/5): - Servicio de cocina estatia genial
• Erika (8/5): - Clean, pool and pet friendly
• Pedro (8/5): - Lugar tranquilo, personal amable, alberca y jardín agradables, no cuentan con Restaurante pero permiten entrada de alimentos, alrededores no muy agradables pero nos recomendaron por dónde no caminar.
• Alina (2/5): - Está ubicado en un barrio no tan lindo, las instalaciones viejas y descuidadas, la habitación descuidada y en intramos una araña enorme que ni los del hotel querían matarla, el colchón parece de cartón y el ventilador no daba aire debido a la altura que estaba. Definitivamente no recomiendo el hotel
• Alberto (10/5): - Me encantó, muy bonita, la atención bastante buena, como está céntrico es fácil llegar a tienditas cercanas, el zócalo y el mercado, muy bonito todo
• elizabeth (8/5): - Loved the location, just a short walk to the Mercado and Zocalo.
• Thomas (10/5): Santa Helena - Good location. Quiet. Good service
• Jose (8/5): - Las instalaciones están bien cuidadas y la limpieza de las áreas en excelentes condiciones. Solo le falta un restaurante para complementar el servicio.
• Anntonio (10/5): - Excelente ubicación, personal muy amable, bonitas instalaciones
• Christian (6/5): - La propiedad bien, sin embargo está a 5 cuadras del centro y la zona es muy popular, no insegura pero no es el centro histórico, no le invierten en báscios como pañuelos desechables, ganchos de ropa, ganchos para toallas, aunque los accesorios de aseo son finos els falta eso, no ofrecen servicio de bebidas ni alimentos aunque tienen un lugar agradable frente a la alberca, personal amable, estacionamiento limitado pero gratuito, pdorán tener mas servicios.
• Gabriela (6/5): - Bonito lugar, baños incomodos no tiene en donde poner nada, no tienen nafa para hacer cafe, ni tan siquiera una taza o cuchara, se ubica en el area comercial, muy fea y sucia no en el centro Historico. El personal super amsbleby servicias
• haydee (10/5): - Todo excelente
• Mauricio J (4/5): Limpio pero en zona fea y mal internet. - El hotel está a 4 cuadras del zócalo pero en una zona bastante fea. El hotel y el cuarto están limpios pero la cama está muy dura y se siente barata, el internet es muy malo y en lugares inexistente.
• Jorge E (8/5): Buen hotel - Buen hotel, cercano al centro. El internet no funciona en las habitaciones por lo que tuve que trabajar desde el lobby. El estacionamiento se llena y cómo yo salí muy temprano, tuvieron que despertar a un huésped para mover su vehículo y yo tuve que mover otro porque la persona de la recepción no sabía manejar.
• Jessica (10/5): - Bonito
• Samuel (10/5): - Excelente ubicación y limpieza.
• Enrique (10/5): Personal con gran calidad humana - muy buen servicio en general. el personal muy atento , un pequeño detalle con el ventilador del cuarto hace un poco de ruido. se recomienda tener maquinas de auto servicio.
• Virgilio (8/5): - Cerca del centro, pero en la noche calles oscuras, daba miedo caminar por esa zona. El estacionamiento es muy pequeño, apenas para unos 10 autos
• Francisco (6/5): hotel caro para el nivel del hotel - El Hotel es bueno a secas. Es caro para el nivel de servicio que da, por ese mismo precio me he quedado en mucho mejores hoteles. esta como 30% mas caro de lo que un hotel de su categoría debería cobrar.
• Rocío (10/5): - Muy limpio y muy atentos y amables
• Juan Carlos (10/5): Un hotel amigable - Muy cómodo. Nos agradó lo limpio y remodelado que mantienen sus instalaciones. Su personal muy atento y amable.
• Juan Carlos (10/5): recomendable - Excelentes instalaciones me senti muy a gusto
• Maria (4/5): Not great - They show a picture of the swimming pool. The swimming. pool is unusable it is not clean. The towels were not white and they were very old. When i got there we were only 2 people and they charged for 3. Overall it was not what i was expecting.
• Verified traveler (8/5): - Friendly staff, nice place but sketchy neighborhood
• Omar (8/5): Visitalo - Muy comodo y limpio .
• Norma Aurora (4/5): No lo recomiendo - La ubicación es mala , lo había escogido por ser el centro , pero es una zona fea, cercana a los mercados y lejos del centro como tal Por otro lado la cama muy incomoda
• Verified traveler (6/5): Okay - A few of things to consider. 1- the white portion of the floor as you enter the swimming pool should be non-slip material super slippery specially for kids. Check out which material should be used. 2- Clearly state there is no air conditioner on the specifications. Had I known this, I sincerely would not have stayed here. 3- Family of 4 requires atleast 2 toilets rolls of paper.
• Verified traveler (10/5): - Muy comodo y centrico
• Simon (10/5): Great stay - The hotel has spacious rooms with balcony views of the pool. The pool was a fantastic addition, given the hot weather - we used it everyday. The room was quiet and had both aircon and a ceiling fan. There is also free offstreet parking onsite.
• Verified traveler (6/5): - It’s one of the few hotels with a pool but the pool furniture wasn’t good. There were no cushions on the loungers so those were pointless. Our room was dark and gloomy, no windows. Staff was very strict about guest and where they can be located in the hotel. We were asked to not sit by the pool with our guest even though there was no one else around at the time. (Guests were one female and child) The security of the hotel seemed good. The cleaning staff were very good. Not the best location as other places we’ve stayed in Oaxaca. It was ok but would not stay there again.
• stephen (10/5): Great stay in Oaxaca Centro - Great place to stay in central Oaxaca. The team there was great even with the language barrier they try to help one of the best places I stayed at. My room had no heat or ac and it didn't matter as I was next to the pool and it was cool
• Verified traveler (6/5): - El personal debe mejorar su atención y ofrecer al menos café de cortesía.
• Sarah (10/5): A good spot to explore Oaxaca - A lovely spot to explore Oaxaca - nice big bright rooms with private terrace and a pool
• Israel (8/5): Buen hotel de descanso - Los baños de la alberca sin papel higiénico, el check out es muy temprano 11 am
• Verified traveler (8/5): - Tiene un ambiente colonial muy agradable, con excelente ubicación.
• Verified traveler (10/5): - They are very clean. Also room is very big. Bed is old.
• Verified traveler (6/5): - Los colchones de las camas son muy duros y almoahadas incomodas. El hotel y las instalaciones en general muy buenas, pero el objetivo principal que es descansar no se logra con esos colchones.
• Elianet (10/5): - El personal muy amable, en recepción todas las personas muy valiosas
• Teresa M (8/5): ER LOCATION FOR DIA DE LOS MUERTOS - PERFECT LOCATION to celebrate Dia De Los Muertos. Far enough away from the celebration to get adequate sleep.
• KirstyAWragg (10/5): 4.5! Great value. Just what we needed. - Really clean, quaint and convenient. Great value for money. Very attentive staff, providing us with an umbrella without prompt heading out in the storm (we thought we were prepared for that much rain! We really weren’t!). Always smiley, always welcoming. They don’t speak English, as expected. But you get by and they don’t mind helping you all be understood. Just google some key phrases. The room was spacious, comfortable and clean. Bottled drinking water was provided daily and there was a water cooler in reception. The pool was clean and pleasant, although not heated. We seemed to be the only ones who used it, but we used it often and enjoyed it. Once you acclimatise to the temperature, it’s lovely (this was in late October). Doesn’t look like the restaurant still exists, but just go out for Tacos Roy 5 mins away. Cafe Alex great for breakfast (international and huge variety of authentic dishes). Loses points only for extremely unreliable WiFi. Muchas Gracias!!
• Verified traveler (8/5): Nice place to rest - Clean,basic but nice place, there are regulations for use of pool but do not follow it, parking is reduced when it is full you can not leave if you do not remove the cars from the passage, lack of additional service like coffee maker, no air conditioner.
• Laura (6/5): - El Hotel esta bien, solo que no cuenta con restaurante y le falta seguridad.
• Verified traveler (8/5): - la limpieza y el servicio bien, deberia de estar en funcionamiento el restaurante
• Sara (6/5): - I loved that they had a pool, but it was ambient temperature and too cold to swim. The reclining chairs around the pool were a lovely touch, however they were in disrepair. The hotel overall is a beautiful property but there were areas that could have been better maintained. We had not the best experience with the service in that the night staff is totally disconnected from the day staff. It appears the hotel is looking for additional personnel, and I’m assuming that they know that this is an issue. The Internet service is absolutely unreliable no matter where you go. Night staff did not know how to reset the Internet modem/router.
• Juan (10/5): - Buen precio para lo bonito que es, muy amable el personal, lo unico malo era que el ventilador sonaba cuando estaba encendido, pero muy bien el servicio, cuando vuelva a oaxaca volvere a este hotel sin pensarlo.
• Arturo (8/5): Una buena opción solo para descansar. - El hotel está en buenas condiciones. Es una buena opción en una zona cercana al centro. No está al lado del centro pero sí a unas cuadras. La habitación que nos tocó estaba bien. Nada moderna, pero tenía lo necesario para descansar. Podrían mejorarla, comenzando por la iluminación.
• Verified traveler (10/5): - Very clean property and cool location. Kids and I loved the pool...although it was not warm it was refreshing.
• J (8/5): - Buen hotel para descansar después de visitar Oaxaca, recomendaría más canales de TV. Y cortinas oscura en las habitaciones, no tienen y despierta uno muy temprano a causa e eso
• Eric P (8/5): Some pros, some cons - On the one hand, not a nice neighborhood, and most special requests (like for late check out or using a microwave for a moment) were answered with “no”. On the other, clean, bright, spacious rooms, high water pressure and plenty of hot water, nice pool and outdoor area. Closest great coffee is Caracol Purpura (7 min walk), 15 minute walk to the downtown centre (good if you’re obsessed with getting a lot of steps per day as I am), 10 min walk to best bakery in Mexico (Boulenc), 15 min walk to the Guelaguetza stadium if you’re adventurous and like climbing stairs.
• silvia (10/5): Great - Stay and staff was great.
• Carlos (6/5): - No tiene mala ubicacion pero si le falta mucho por mejorar, no tiene restaurante room service diario les pedia una toalla extra sabiendo que pague por una persona extra en la habitacion, la alberca en un bloque de hielo el piso que lo rodea ws muy resbaloso asi como el del baño..
• Michel (8/5): - Ubicado a Unos minutos del zócalo caminando. A unas cuantas cuadras de los mercados en comida y artesanías. Tiene estacionamiento. Habitaciones amplias. A pesar de estar ubicado en una zona con mucho movimiento comercial, no hay ruido externo en la habitación en la que nos quedamos. Tiene alberca. Agua caliente con buena presión. Si regresaría y lo recomendaría.
• Lydia (8/5): Hotel Santa Helena Plaza - The hotel was very peaceful and the room was super clean. There aren’t many amenities but the room rates are quite inexpensive. The furnishings offer old world Mexican charm but bed linens and towels could use an upgrade. The location is a short walk to the big cathedral which is another few blocks to the Zocalo. The pool area is nice, There’s a pretty mural in the cantina area. The pool is not heated but probably very refreshing when it’s super hot. The staff was friendly and helpful when I needed to call a taxi. They are very hands off once you check in. I’d say this is a good value hotel and seemed to have mostly nationals as guests.
• Nick (10/5): nice hotel, lousy neighborhood - Great rooms with pool but in lousy neighborhood. You have to walk 6-8 blocks over broken sidewalks to the plaza/cathedral, noisy, bus fumes in your face. But the other side of town near Santo Domingo church is just charming and wonderful; lots of little charming colonial hotels in that area, wonderful cafes, shops, and restaurants (where I will stay on my next trip to Oaxaca). I got cards and some of the hotels are La Noria, Abu (like a chic Italian hotel), Antigua, Oaxaca Real, for around $1500 per couple, under $100 american. All the bldgs, streets, and sidewalks are kept in good repair in that area, 10 minute walk to the plaza/cathedral. The poshest hotel in that area is the Quinta Real, fantastic place in an old convent, but pricey.
• jordan (8/5): Simple and clean - Accommodations were overall good, especially for the price. AC was not functional, and the front desk was very loud all night every night. Repeatedly waking us. If the ac worked, so we could close the windows it would have not been a problem.Otherwise it was well worth the money.
• Verified traveler (6/5): Bare bones, but fine - The hotel and the pool were clean and cute, and the staff was nice. The cleaning staff actually did a great job every day... leave them a tip, they deserve it. The beds were comfortable. The restaurant was not open during our visit and it did not appear to have been for some time. It was just a covered patio next to the pool with some dining sets. There was a vending machine in the lobby which was unplugged at night and remained unplugged until a guest would attempt to use it in the morning. This meant that the beverages were warm until enough time had passed for the refrigeration to do its job. No ice machine. The location is fairly central. Its just a 10 minute walk from the Zocalo, there are street vendors all around for fruit, tacos, and shops to purchase beverages. Overall, it is clean, close to the landmarks and parks, but definitely not for those who want to walk out of their hotel right into a main tourist area or pretty coloniel architecture. You have to pay more to be closer to that. The hotel was primarily empty, which felt a little odd. Parking available on premise. The pool makes it worthwhile, bring your own snackes, beverages, a speaker and enjoy. Suggested for younger travelers on a budget, not for older guests or those who need more amenities then just the very basics.
• Don_A_TX (10/5): Great place to stay for a day or a month - I took early retirement last year and decided to drive across Mexico and Central America for a year. People will argue about taking a car on a journey like this and tell you there is a problem with finding safe parking for your auto, navigating the country, etc., and I will agree somewhat, but the benefits of having an auto to manage your own schedule and destinations far outweigh not having an auto in my opinion. I can give you a long list of places I would have never seen without my car. You need to know a little Spanish, like left, right, etc. but that is all. But that’s almost way off subject. I discovered this place rather difficultly, as it was not in any of the guide books I had and it was hard to find hotels with parking in Oaxaca. I was elated when I found it, tired and exhausted after 6 hours on the road. It provided “park in front of the hotel” in a gated enclosed parking area, which was quite a relief even if I discounted the extremely nice and comfortable rooms. I really enjoyed this place and will stay there any time I return to Oaxaca, automobile or not. The pool was nice looking but I would like to know what month someone can swim in Oaxaca, as I visited there twice, on my trip driving to Nicaragua and back and both times the weather was just too cold for swimming. Great hotel in my opinion and I stayed in a bunch along my route. If you have a laptop, try to stay in a room near the office and your laptop will likely work, as wireless is only promised to function in the lobby. I found that in Mexico it seemed that more often than not, people seem to like to have conversations in the halls of hotels, being very discourteous to other patrons, and this hotel was no exception. So outside of the occasional very rude tourist, this place was extremely quiet and had a courteous staff who was very helpful in using highlighters to draw on a map anywhere you wanted to visit, inside or outside the city. P.S. When I returned to this hotel Nov, 2008, the whole place had a fresh coat of paint and looked brand new. Beds were some of the most comfortable at any hotel I stayed in. I think you will enjoy this place. It’s not the 15th century city center hotel with balcony overlooking the Zocalo (central park) but it has none of the plumbing, parking, noise, security and other issues that come with that kind of experience.
• DuaneFrasier (8/5): Quaint, convenient and reasonably priced - I lived in Oaxaca for 5 years and this was my choice for a getaway with friends and with my wife. It is very close to the main plaza in Oaxaca, but not on a street with bus traffic, so it is very quiet. The rooms are simple, but always clean. There are bungalow-type rooms and rooms with a balcony looking over the pool. Free parking is a plus here. Not many bells and whistles, but a very reasonable rate, especially given its location. There is a restaurant, but it may not be open during low season. No worry, there are good restaurants just blocks away.
• Writerone (8/5): Very Good - I stayed at this hotel in January 2003. I was very pleased. Nice inner courtyard with swimming pool and small restaurant. And..... a small amount of free parking. A rarity.
• Coastal30368 (8/5): New Quiet Budget Hotel with a Pool - My husband, son and I stayed in the Plaza Santa Helena in June 2004. I discovered the hotel on the internet but the reservations portion of their website doesn’t work ---. I finally called the hotel using my rusty Spanish to get prices (very little English spoken by the staff). Our triple room was 600 pesos incl. tax. Be sure to bring plenty of cash because credit cards are not accepted. The hotel is in a very Mexican part of town as opposed to the northern tourist part of town. It’s an easy 3 blocks walk west of the zocalo – however the sidewalks are extremely congested. The property sits back off the street with a small parking lot in front. You walk through a nice lobby which opens to the pool patio/restaurant in the middle, with rooms around 3 sides on 2 floors. Our room was on the ground floor and was very nice and new, with beautiful carved wooden furniture, TV in English and fan. A nice bathroom with marble shower, but could have used a rug on the floor. A second door opened to a small patio with an iron table and chairs overlooking the pool. Really enjoyed the little patio, especially with 3 in the room. Also the pool area was marvelously quiet for being in such a congested part of town where pools in budget hotels are hard to find. We relaxed and cooled off there every afternoon. The best thing was the quiet. When the hotel is full it may be noisier, but we really enjoyed the quiet (only 3 or 4 other rooms were occupied during our stay). Previous stays in 3 downtown hotels had been much noisier! The restaurant onsite was convenient but we only ate there once. Next door is an internet café for only 25 pesos per hour! A doctor is located less than a block away, which came in handy when my son got sick. This location was very convenient for walking to the Juarez market, the artisans market, and the bus station for Ocotlan. Later in our trip we did move to a hotel in the northern part of town so we could explore that area more fully, and staying in two such different areas gave us a real feel for the beautiful city of Oaxaca. ---
• Trail27488 (10/5): An Oasis in the City - We were taken to the hotel by the taxi driver from the airport since we had not made any previous reservations for when we arrived. This is the last stop that he made and it was by far the most outstanding and better than I could have hoped for from all the online searches I had been conducting. The style was typical of Mexico, bright colors, all-wood furniture with beautiful hand carved designs and fresh flowers in the lobby every day. The rooms were very clean, nicely decorated, each having it's own private balcony. From what we were told this is one of the few hotels in Oaxaca that have pools, it was beautiful and nicely kept although we did not use it since it was a bit chilly while we were there. The staff was very helpful. The hotel was only four blocks away from the zocalo (downtown). There is a restaurant onsite that serves a delicious breakfast and lunch, but no dinner for a very reasonable price. Downsides: - no a/c, but when we went (mid-Sept.) we did not need it; each room is provided with a plug in fan that was more than sufficient when we needed it - No credit cards accepted Upsides: - Beautifully decorated with a warm feel that makes you feel like you are in old world Mexico; attention to aesthitic detail to create an illusion that you are not in the middle of the city. - Quiet: you don't hear the roar of cars or much of anything once you are inside the hotel - Clean - Inexpensive: during the time we were there (low season) we paid $535 pesos a night for a room with two double beds - They book tours with a local tour company (Tours del Sol) that picks you up directly at the hotel. I highly recommend the Sierra del Norte tour, it was fabulous! I cannot recommend this hotel highly enough, it was a real treasure find for us and cannot wait to retrun. Unfortunately, I could not find a website for this hotel.

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