Barceló México Reforma — Hotel in Mexico City

Went here for a week vacation and got a great deal from Orbitz. Paid about 112 per night after taxes for a premium level room. Upon arriving on a Saturday afternoon, was quickly checked in by a friendly agent who informed me about the premium level services and benefits. I was given a room on the 14th floor and a bellhop offered to help with my bags, which I politely declined.

When checking out my room, I first noticed on how small the bedroom was. It looked just adequate for one person, and would have easily been too tiny for 2 or more people. The tv was also in the smaller size being 37inch, however had a great amount of channels. There was a small desk with a chair that felt like saddle with a backrest. The king bed was quite comfortable and had 4 fluffy pillows. I was able to sleep pretty well in that bed. Water and coffee were provided as well. The window had a nice view of the city, but barely could see the street fountain that highlights that intersection. What I also did like about my room that it was pretty clean, kempt, and well lit. Housekeeping did come to the room everyday, even though it was requested for every other day. There was a closet with enough hangers, iron, and a safe. There was no laundry bag, so I had to request one from housekeeping.

The bathroom looked surprisingly spacious. It was also clean and had lavarino cosso amenities. While I did see soap, shampoo, and body/shower gel, I did not see any lotion. There were also other amenities including dental kit, comb, and cottons. Housekeeping did not restock the amenities until it got low, but I was able to get some extra shampoo to take home. The shower had good water pressure and no issues getting hot water any time of the day. The toilet was a bit small, but it was not uncomfortable.

I enjoyed the downstairs lobby area with the atrium setting and the bar next to the front desk. There were plenty of seating available with leather chairs. It was mostly quiet during the day with a player piano set to auto play. From 7PM - 10PM, it got livelier with a real pianist and violist playing popular music at the bar. If you take an automatic door to the Sonara Grill, it gets a lot louder with DJ playing the latest hits. There is also a separate area for smoking. There is a gift shop, Starbucks, and business center as well. In the 9th floor, there is a spacious fitness center and spa.

For being a premium level guest, I was able to access the club lounge on the 12 floor. There is a happy hour from 6PM to 7PM with free wine and beer. There are some small cold horderves and desserts to enjoy. I wished there were hot items as well, but most of the horderves were good, and I really enjoyed the spoon sized pastries. The breakfast in the club area had hot food items, but the downstairs restaurant had a much better selection, as well as an omelet/eggs station. I took advantage of the downstairs restaurant when I was hungry and had some time to eat, and only ate breakfast at the lounge for light bites and when time was precious.

Service was friendly and helpful. The front desk and concierge (especially Abraham) were very helpful in finding currency exchange, restaurant/tour advice, and making reservations. I wish it was more personalized where they know your name, your needs, and try to go above and beyond to make the stay more enjoyable. It felt more personized at the club lounge where the staff remembered my choice of beer, and had it ready when I arrived. The also often refilled my drinks and asked if I needed any other food/drinks for the lounge.

Overall, this hotel falls a bit short (and sadly lost) to be a 4 diamond hotel. Rooms can be a more elegant and have more amenities, and the service can be more personized. However, that does not mean that the Barcelo is a bad hotel. It is a solid 3 diamond hotel with good service, and clean/comfortable rooms. I would stay here again (and try another Barcelo hotel) if I am looking for an upper midscale hotel at the...

I have mixed feelings about this one. Great location and comfortable rooms. VERY attentive staff. I’ve stayed at five other Barceló hotels, but this was my first time at one in a city location. The décor can feel a bit odd at times (especially for a Barceló), but once you realize it used to be a “Krystal” hotel, it makes sense — you can’t change everything at once.

The bathroom layout is unusual — probably a legacy design — and the shower door never closed properly. It’s almost at the same level as the rest of the floor, so water would spill out all the time. The door and hinges seemed new, so it’s clearly a design or adjustment issue.

We had a corner suite on the 5th floor, which was VERY noisy at night (any day of the week), making it hard to get a good night’s sleep.

When making the reservation, you have the option to add breakfast. If you book a suite or have premium status, you get complimentary breakfast in the premium lounge. The paid breakfast option is for the restaurant on the ground floor, which has longer hours, a slightly wider selection, and a less crowded atmosphere. At first, I thought it was a very small restaurant for the hotel’s size, but surprisingly it was never an issue — the selection was sufficient to suit most tastes.

The happy hour in the lounge, however, was a terrible experience. It’s only one hour long and scheduled quite early, so it gets very crowded (and the space is small). We had to wait to be seated, and by the time we got a table, happy hour had just ended. There were still a few snacks available (not enough for dinner, but nice), yet there were no wines and a poor selection of drinks — jars were not refilled on time and it was hard to find a calorie-free soda. I think it would be better to limit the number of free alcohol drinks per person and extend the happy hour duration.

The pool is a bit small but nice enough. If you’re going with kids, just consider going earlier — after about 8 pm it’s mostly adults and couples.

In all other Barceló hotels I’ve stayed at, even when I was Essential Level on myBarceló, I’ve always received a welcome note and some small detail in the room (fruit, candies, wine…), but not this time. Although I’m currently at the “Unique” level of the program, I wasn’t expecting an upgrade (I booked a suite with a view, so there’s not much higher to go), but at least some of the usual welcome touches would have been nice. None this time — and as mentioned, I got a room on the lower, probably noisier floors.

There was a minibar with a list of prices. I found out on my last day that the minibar was actually complimentary — but without any note indicating that, and a price list instead… well, what can I say.

Still a Barceló lover, but not a fan of this location. Hopefully it improves...

I have mixed feelings about this one. Great location and comfortable rooms. VERY attentive staff. I’ve stayed at five other Barceló hotels, but this was my first time at one in a city location. The décor can feel a bit odd at times (especially for a Barceló), but once you realize it used to be a “Krystal” hotel, it makes sense — you can’t change everything at once.||The bathroom layout is unusual — probably a legacy design — and the shower door never closed properly. It’s almost at the same level as the rest of the floor, so water would spill out all the time. The door and hinges seemed new, so it’s clearly a design or adjustment issue.||We had a corner suite on the 5th floor, which was VERY noisy at night (any day of the week), making it hard to get a good night’s sleep.||When making the reservation, you have the option to add breakfast. If you book a suite or have premium status, you get complimentary breakfast in the premium lounge. The paid breakfast option is for the restaurant on the ground floor, which has longer hours, a slightly wider selection, and a less crowded atmosphere. At first, I thought it was a very small restaurant for the hotel’s size, but surprisingly it was never an issue — the selection was sufficient to suit most tastes.||The happy hour in the lounge, however, was a terrible experience. It’s only one hour long and scheduled quite early, so it gets very crowded (and the space is small). We had to wait to be seated, and by the time we got a table, happy hour had just ended. There were still a few snacks available (not enough for dinner, but nice), yet there were no wines and a poor selection of drinks — jars were not refilled on time and it was hard to find a calorie-free soda. I think it would be better to limit the number of free drinks per person and extend the happy hour duration.||The pool is a bit small but nice enough. If you’re going with kids, just consider going earlier — after about 8 pm it’s mostly adults and couples.||In all other Barceló hotels I’ve stayed at, even when I was Essential Level on myBarceló, I’ve always received a welcome note and some small detail in the room (fruit, candies, wine…), but not this time. Although I’m currently at the “Unique” level of the program, I wasn’t expecting an upgrade (I booked a suite with a view, so there’s not much higher to go), but at least some of the usual welcome touches would have been nice. None this time — and as mentioned, I got a room on the lower, probably noisier floors.||There was a minibar with a list of prices. I found out on my last day that the minibar was actually complimentary — but without any note indicating that, and a price list instead… well, what can I say.||Still a Barceló lover, but not a fan of this location. Hopefully it improves...