| y"> | | | | Callejon 5 de Mayo. It has nearly 100 rooms, although |
| Hotels in the Historic District | | | | the ones on the street side can be noisy during the |
| As a newly arrived TEFL teaching prospect, first on | | | | day and early evenings. All rooms have all the basic |
| your agenda is a place to stay. It's not just a place to | | | | amenities; color TV, phone, 24 hour hot water, are |
| flop, but will be your "base of operations" and starting | | | | clean and moderate-sized. Travel agency services, |
| point of reference for virtually all your initial endeavors | | | | tours, mail, fax and other business services are |
| in and about the city. Look at two or three places at | | | | available at modest cost. On the ground floor there is |
| least, and choose the one you feel most comfortable | | | | an excellent juice bar. Prices are likewise at bit more |
| with. Be sure to get the hotel's business card with the | | | | upscale with singles going for 170 pesos and doubles |
| name, complete address, phone number and | | | | for 210 pesos. A great location and good value though. |
| particulars of the place you're staying and carry it with | | | | The staff is likewise courteous, friendly and helpful. |
| you at all times. Many hotel business cards have a | | | | Some English is spoken. |
| small map on the back to help you re-locate them. If all | | | | Hotel Washington |
| else fails, you can always show the card to a | | | | Address: Cinco de Mayo No. 54 |
| policeman, taxi driver or other official who could then | | | | Phones: 512 - 3502 |
| assist you if you're turned around, having problems, | | | | Among the several hotels along the Cinco de Mayo, |
| need directions or are just plain lost. Don't be ashamed | | | | the Washington, near the corner of Palma is less than |
| of being "lost" in Mexico City - this metropolis, the | | | | two blocks from the Zocalo and offers basic |
| largest city in the world, sprawls for many kilometers in | | | | accommodations at reasonable rates. Most rooms |
| every direction and is awesome and overwhelming for | | | | have a private bath, 24 hour hot water, phone and TV. |
| even the best and most experienced travelers. | | | | Rates are 130 pesos for a single and 140 pesos for a |
| The following are hotels near the Zocalo, which is the | | | | double with one or two beds. Street side rooms tend |
| center of the Historic District of Mexico City. | | | | to be noisy, while the interior ones can be a bit dark. |
| Hotel San Antonio | | | | Look at several rooms on different floors before |
| Address: 2nd Callejon 5 de Mayo No.29 (between | | | | deciding to receive the best value. |
| Isabel la Catolica and Palma) | | | | Hotel Rioja |
| Phones: 512 - 9906, 518 - 1625, 518 - 1626 | | | | Address: Cinco de Mayo No. 45 |
| A little difficult to find at first, but located in an L - | | | | Phones: 521 - 8333, 521 - 8273, 518 - 3852 |
| shaped "Callejon" (alley), which shelters this small, | | | | One block from the Zocalo, with rooms containing |
| classy hotel from the street noise on the ever-busy | | | | private bath, hot water mornings and evenings only |
| Cinco de Mayo and the equally noisy Palma. With 5 | | | | and radio speakers piping in music from a local station; |
| floors and plenty of small, clean rooms, a vacancy is | | | | the Rioja's sparsely furnished rooms offer little more |
| almost always available. Most have color TV, private | | | | than a place to sleep. The location is good and the |
| bath, phone and 24 hour hot water. Upper level rooms | | | | small staff amenable enough to assist with some |
| on the street side are brighter than interior ones. It's a | | | | information, but little English is spoken. One of the |
| mere half-block strut to restaurants, shops and a | | | | cheapest hotels to be found in the area (with |
| multitude of stores. The people-packed Zocalo and | | | | acceptably clean, liveable rooms) prices are based on |
| Metro are less than two blocks away. Prices are 120 | | | | location. Rooms with a window are priced at 110 pesos |
| pesos for a single, 140 pesos for a double with two | | | | for singles, 130 pesos for doubles and 140 pesos for |
| beds. One of the best values in the Historic District. | | | | triples with two or three beds. Interior, windowless |
| The front is lined with fluttering flags that portend the | | | | rooms are 90 pesos for a single and 100 pesos for |
| hotel's offerings. | | | | doubles. |
| Hotel Canada | | | | We'll continue with a few more inexpensive hotel |
| Address: Cinco de Mayo No.47 | | | | options in part 2 of this article on "Where to Stay in |
| Phones: 518 - 2106 | | | | Mexico City". Be sure to check out my other articles in |
| Fax: 521 - 9310 | | | | the two continuing series: Teaching English in Mexico |
| Upscale and bright, but affordable is this well-known | | | | and Traveling in Mexico. |
| and popular hotel on the corner of Cico de Mayo with | | | | |