HOTEL RIO RITA — Attraction in Baja California

I stayed here for my birthday weekend 10/12 - 10/14. I stayed in room 207.

Cons: We showed up 4 hrs early for check-in and was told that we'd have to come back. When we returned, we found out that they offer early check-in for an extra cost. I would've paid that if it had been offered instead of walking around with our luggage. They did offer to hold our bags but I wasn't comfortable with that. The walls are very thin. You'll know when your neighbors are showering, pooping or playing music. The lighting is horrible and there are no windows for natural light. The lights used are amber lights so it can throw off your orientation and coordination. It's hard to see anything that is not directly under the light. They have rope lights that are so tucked away behind furniture that they don't provide light enough for viewing. There's only one mirror in the entire room and it's above the sink so if you're short, like me, too bad. The shower flooded anytime we used it so I would only turn it on halfway to use it. We found a roach crawling on the bed on our last day 😩 had it been in hiding the whole time and just coming out at night? Was it crawling on us in our sleep? Is this why they keep the lights dim so they don't scurry when a new guest arrives and turns on the lights. When I told the staff she said, "You only saw one? Oh ok." An apology for the experience would've been nice. We paid extra for snack items to be in the room and upon inspection, one was 3 mos passed the expiration date. You have to leave your room for a bit everyday as you cannot refuse housekeeping. I've never stayed somewhere where they REQUIRED you to leave your room so just make sure you use your safe. I can't imagine any reason why a hotel would REQUIRE you to leave your room and I have a timeshare and travel often, sometimes grabbing entire groceries for my room so having to remove the food is not a good excuse/reason. We paid extra for the Romantic package and I added a note AND talked to the front desk staff when we arrived 4 hrs early and told them "We don't eat pork. Please no pork items for the charcuterie board." There was salami, pepperoni and prosciutto. Why couldn't they just leave it off?? Also, the bed was decorated with rose petals which they REUSE. It would be hard for me to believe that they wash them between uses as some of them were stuck together 🤢

Pros: Location! It's central to everything! Food, entertainment, drinks, shopping. We paid extra for the Romantic package and our room was set up BEAUTIFULLY!! I had always dreamed of this exact set up so I was extremely happy and grateful for that! The lobby was clean and smelled very nice! There were plenty of English channels on the TV There's a bar on the second floor with a balcony to enjoy your drink.

Ultimately, I would not stay here again. I feel that the price is slightly higher than the value of the...

... pls read some negative reviews, then read my review,

This hotel is a quintessential boutique hotel in heart of the touristy boarder part of Tijuana.

For the location, the room rate, the security/safety of your room and the amenities, you can't find an equal here in Tijuana, especially for the weekends!

During my stay: the bedding was confortable, very good mattress, (pillows could be better but they weren't bad,) All of the plumbing/drain worked great, I liked the little exhaust fan in the bathroom, the mini fridge and safe in the room... Oh, there are bathrooms in each hallway ;)

While you are in the hotel hallway, do checkout all of the arts and themed furnishings, (checkout a great YouTube video done by Melissa about this place)

Before you reserve this place, consider the following:

1. this place doesn't have "more" rules than the other hotels in the area,

2. you are allowed to have visitors, they must register their IDs, double beds' 4 persons, King 2 etc.,

3. the management used "Adult Only" in the hotel description, this is NOT an "Adult hotel", plenty motels for you to party and bring "visitas" in TJ, however this is not the place, (management I know you are looking at this, I suggest simply use the term minimum ages for the hotel guests)

4. free parking is offered when you park your vehicle in the parking garage across the street from the hotel; is the garage "Safe"? Well, generally "Yes" but if you have a nice ride I'd suggest you find a motel with private garage,

Couple other considerations, if you have no hot water, I bet you turned your faucet to the wrong side; rooms here have "exposed" ceiling, only steel rafters, sound will travel as if there are no walls, that doesn't bother me but for you that can be a deal breaker; The room was dim inside, no real windows, again this does not bother me, but if you care, don't book this place.

Google Street View has the entrance of the hotel at a wrong spot a few buildings away, I submitted an update, hopefully...

PROS: Really nice boutique hotel located in the heart of TJ's main scene! Nice art, comfortable rooms with nice decor (minus the linens), and friendly staff (including a young lady who grew up in Fresno,CA)! Some of the best shopping, food and drinks, and authentic Mexican culture footsteps away in any direction! A stay here will absolutely make you forget about anything you've heard bad in the news about Mexico until...

CONS: I traveled solo for 10 days throughout Baja California and it absolutely hurts me how Mexican people are depicted in the media (I'm a black man so I understand US propaganda), because the people of Mexico are absolutely some of the most beautiful people in the world! I felt safe throughout TJ, Rosarito, Popotla, Los Algodones amongst the people...literally even amongst the "bad guys"...LITERALLY! The Mexican police (Policía Municipal) are literally the most dangerous people towards tourist. The poorest person you encounter wouldn't rob you...the people would defend you, but the Policía Municipal robbed me of $250 USD one block away coming out of Dandy del Sur Cantina ($50 out of my pocket, and $200 in my left shoe). BEWARE...they are literally the enemy, and the side streets at night are dangerous BECAUSE OF THEM! They can see you on the balcony of the hotel or walking in and out because they ride around ALL DAY - EVERYDAY! YOU SEE THEM, AND THEY SEE YOU! If the cops stop you please do the following:

LIVESTREAM on FACEBOOK OR INSTAGRAM, ETC!!! FACETIME SOMEONE OR EQUIVALENT AND HAVE THEM RECORD!!! Those dirty SOBs will literally make you delete any recording so you have to GO LIVE!!! They target everyone at all the nice places I mentioned in the "PROS", and even the locals.

YouTube search when a protestor in Guadalajara set a cop on fire...my heart goes out to...