DOWNTOWN MEXICO HOTEL — Hotel in Mexico City

SO MUCH I didn't like. For a Hostel that I was SUPER excited to stay at, this is probably the most crushing disappointment ever. These people are phoning it in on the place being new. But once the shine is off the rose, it's going to be a dark, grotty disappointment.||||Rude and surly front desk staff. Several times, I stood in front of the desk and waited, saying hello, waiting for someone to come out from behind the curtain... But they were there all chatting away on the other side. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME! Questions were clearly a colossal imposition and it didn't matter which staff member you got. Speaking English also felt like a massive imposition... and while I'm not the sort of traveller who expects everyone in a foreign country to speak my language, I think the front desk staff at a hostel should have some ability to speak the language and without the attitude that they are doing you a huge favour in the process.||||Next? No wifi in the rooms. Seriously. In 2017, in a brand new hostel, this is absolutely unacceptable. I get it's a an old stone building, but if this place gave a darn, they could put a couple of boosters. Having to go to the common areas is ridiculous.||||Co-ed bathrooms with cement walls which don't reach the ceiling... so if you are getting ready to shower, you can hear the person in the toilets doing their thang. The sinks as pictured are all in the hallway, and my room was right in front of them. Nothing like hearing people hawking and spitting at 7 am.||||THE WORST, cheapest beds and thinnest pillows- and I was in a double room so I was able to put one on top of the other. I've spent a lot of time in hostels. I've lived in them. I did the Camino, and I've paid a lot less for places with way better beds. And... could there have been a fan in the room?||||Breakfast is two pieces of toast, a cup of coffee, an apple, and a glass of diabetes inducing juice. Seriously. That's the best you could do? Anything after that is a paid ad-on. And the toaster is broken so one of the slots only toasts one side of the bread.||The sitting area for eating is pretty enough, but the silver corona chairs are knackered. The seats are all on a slant so sitting on them isn't nice. Also the hotel staff seems to use this area for their breaks so it just has a really weird vibe. Not that they are rowdy or impolite. I just felt a bit like I was invading their space.||||The rooftop bar is part of the hotel more than the hostel. Very posh. Not really fun, and it's up by the pool. I had a couple drinks up there, and it's very pretty but it's very $$$ and not fun. If you are by yourself, don't be thinking you will go up there, have a good time and meet travellers. The bar in the hostel area is open some evenings. They play loud music you can hear in your room until about 10, which is fine, but again, it's not fun, or wasn't when I was there.||||The hostel didn't seem very full and really, the service should have been way better. When I checked out, and said I was leaving two days early, the girl at the desk didn't even ask why I was going or if I had a good stay. She just handed me my deposit. I wasn't expecting a refund for the two days I paid for but didn't stay for, but most places usually ask why you are leaving early.||||Downtown Beds could have been amazing, but it's poorly designed, cheaply put together under the guise of 'boutique styling,' with uncaring staff and a 'meh' attitude. It's clean. That's about the one thing going for it- and the cleaning lady and the man who bakes at night seem to be the only people at the place who are happy...

Joshua F's March 2024 review captured our experience almost exactly. Fortunately, we had one of the rooms that I believe would be described as "city view" as it had balcony that overlooked the street as well as the door/windows onto the courtyard. The doors that opened onto the balcony provided extra light and air, which helped abate the darkness and improved air circulation. Given that our stay was during a heatwave, that was a lifesaver as the air conditioner, while working, simply couldn't keep the room cool (the ceilings have to be 12 feet at least). The balcony doors also meant that we could close the windows on the courtyard doors for some privacy. But the darkness in the room was still a problem. I had to sit on the end of the bed in front of the balcony to put on my makeup. I had trouble finding things in my suitcase. This is such a pity, as the lighting is clearly a design choice. There were four stylish lamps as well as a lighting strip under the headboard in our room, but all had bulbs so dim they shed almost no light. Ditto for the lighting bar above the bathroom mirror. ||As the previous review states, this is clearly a hip, happening spot. That meant that on one afternoon and evening there was a private "pool party" on the rooftop, with music pounding until 1:30 am. Luckily the rooms are relatively soundproof--but only with all the doors and windows closed, which kept the room pretty hot. ||On the plus side, the staff were lovely. (Sergio was especially wonderful.) Breakfast was very good--I especially enjoyed the buffet with all its fresh fruit--and the courtyard was a perfect spot to eat in the mornings. We also really enjoyed the rooftop bar for evening cocktails and snacks. On our last evening, we had a light meal there, and the tacos were great. The pool was also a huge bonus, given the heat. The restaurant on the ground floor (Azul Historica--not operated by the hotel) is an absolutely gorgeous spot for dinner, and the food was good.||We, like the previous reviewer, are unlikely to repeat our stay at Downtown Mexico or recommend it to others because of the lighting and air conditioning situation. This is such a pity as the place really is beautiful, so conveniently situated and so...

Good location in Centro, with lots of must-visit sites and museums, as well as interesting restaurants and bars ranging from classic and fancy to low key and gritty. The heritage building itself is beautiful, the design touches are thoughtful, and the quiet rooftop pool feels very special, particularly for the area. Staff were friendly and helpful (especially Paula)—helping to make calls and reservations for us, which was really appreciated. The included breakfast was delicious and fresh, and it was great that it was available until late in the morning. (We planned to go out to eat for our breakfasts, but found ourselves really enjoying the high quality and consistency of the breakfast at the hotel, as well as the ambiance).||I wouldn't likely return to this hotel, though, because the rooms were incredibly dark. The only "windows" in the room were from the front door, but there were no curtains, only blackout shades that could only be either fully open or closed. When open, the windows faced a walkway, and didn't give any privacy. The ceilings of our queen bed room were very high, but with no real windows, it felt a bit like being in a concrete silo with little air circulation. The lighting options were also very limited. Although everything was tastefully decorated, there simply wasn't enough natural or artificial light—not enough to put on makeup in the bathroom or even pack our bags without opening the window/door. (We asked for extra lighting a few times, and eventually were given a construction work light). The stairways and elevators were also extremely dark—it took careful effort not to fall down the stairs.||Overall we did really enjoy our stay, the service and the pool, but the almost comical lack of lighting would discourage us from...