Real Inn Mexicali — Hotel in Baja California

For $100/night in Mexico, I expect a lot and got absolutely NONE OF IT. I could have paid 50% less across the street and had the same comfort.

Hotel Theme: El Que No Tranza, No Avanza!

Noise: Do you enjoy hearing a train drive by your hotel and blast its horn non-stop for 10 minutes at 3 in the morning? This is the place for you. It is a regular event. Windows have very little sound proofing.

Unless you are deaf, at night you will hear jets flying over the hotel every 20 minutes. It is actually the elevator going up and down. Our room was 4 rooms away from it but we could clearly hear it all night.

You can hear EVERYTHING your neighboring drunks are talking about until 5 am when THEY decide to go to sleep. The hotel staff has zero training on how to handle loud renters. I called the front desk 3 times (1am, 2am, 3am) Security came knocking on their door 3 times during the night and the drunks basically told them to piss off. No consequences. No sleep. I recommend you bring super glue for their door as payback because the only thing the front desk tells you in the morning is, "Lo siento. Better luck next time!"

Security: Security cannot control drunks. The parking lot has a guard kiosk and gate but they open it for you before they even look at you. They do not care.

Breakfast: This was the best trick I ever saw. All you can eat for Adults is included but kids that can lift a fork must pay 110 pesos (~$9) for the breakfast buffet. You find out when you finish eating, after you leave the tip on the table, and are about to walk out. That's when they grab you. Eggs, beans and toast. Yehaw.... You're better off at McDonald's or Burger King across the street. Or better, go to La Plazita Restaurant or to Los Arcos Restaurant just around the corner. Sanborne's is A RIP OFF. US$10 and up for crap plates.

Bed: Do you miss those spring beds from the 60's that are rounded enough that you roll to the sides of the bed? You'll love this place. Good luck if two people have to sleep in the same bed.

Restroom Cabinet: Are you taller than 5'5"? The architect must have hated tall people because he made a large cabinet for duct work pass directly over the sink so you have to duck under it to wash your hands. For your 3 am pee, enjoy banging your head into it while you're half asleep.

Overall Architecture: Do you enjoy dark, barely lit hallways, reminding you of a world war II bomb shelter with brightly painted concrete walls? Do you miss those huge mega concrete structures made famous by the soviets and french? Aw, well you will LOOOVEEE...

My family and I come here every 6 months to visit family in the city. We’ve always enjoyed staying here because we’ve always enjoyed our stay. Our last trip here was a few days ago and we will NOT be coming back. They are under new management. They are doing a horrible job! We booked an executive suite because of the living room so that we could have my grandparents over and enjoy our evening. Management came and told us that we’re being too loud at 6:00pm in a very rude tone and had the audacity to say only guest can be in the room. After we explained they were just there to have dinner with us not to sleep but said if they stayed any longer they would charge us extra!! The rest of the day and the next day management and chef Alan made our trip horrible!!! To the point where he came up to us at the pool to tell us any water bottle that we have, had to be thrown away if it’s not bought at the bar. On our last day we told him how rude he and some of his staff were and no apology was giving instead he argued with us. Deeply disappointed on how new management treats guest. We also complained as other guest did about the pool because it was extremely dirty we ended up not swimming! They are remodeling so they don’t have pull out beds because the workers are sleeping on them. There is no ice machine on any floor. Room phones don’t work. We had to go downstairs every time if we needed anything. I understand remodeling is being done but at least give people a heads up before booking I’m sure people would appreciate it. The customer service was the worst part they made us feel like we were very unwanted and unwelcoming. We will be looking for a new hotel for our...

We recently stayed at the Real Inn in Mexicali, and while the hotel itself may not boast the most luxurious amenities or a prime city-center location, our experience was truly unforgettable—thanks to the incredible staff who went above and beyond to make our short stay exceptional.

Kevin at the reception set the tone right away. He was humble, sweet, and exceptionally understanding. From check-in, he was attentive to our needs and ensured we felt welcomed despite any language barriers. His warmth and helpfulness made a real difference in our first impression.

Sergio, who kindly showed us to our room, continued that level of service with his patience and kindness. Navigating in a new place without knowing the language can be daunting, but he made us feel comfortable, ensuring we settled in smoothly.

But the real star of our stay was Gustavo, the maintenance staff member who seemed to be everywhere we needed him. Gustavo went above and beyond, giving us a taste of real Mexican culture—quite literally! He introduced us to authentic Mexican tacos, a highlight of our trip, and his genuine kindness and willingness to share his culture with us left a lasting impression. It’s hard to find this level of service anywhere else, and Gustavo made our day in Mexico far more meaningful.

Thanks to Kevin, Sergio, Alejandro and especially Gustavo, we left the Real Inn with wonderful memories, feeling truly grateful for the hospitality we experienced. To the Real Inn, its staff, and the kind people of Mexico—thank you. We hope to return one day to experience more of this...