A nice hotel in a great city
Written: Apr 02 '00 (Updated Apr 05 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Convenient and clean
Cons: Somewhat high priced for Mexico, but great prices on food made up for it.
The Bottom Line: Though off the beaten path, Oaxaca is worth the trip. And the Holiday Inn will serve you well.
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| proeditor's Full Review: Oaxaca |
Normally, I would not choose Holiday Inn in a foreign country. I want some local flavor. However, this new property in Oaxaca is delightful and "Mexican" enough. We have traveled rustically in Mexico, which can be cheap and fun, but this time we wanted a bit of luxury (again, not normally a Holiday Inn trait).
The hotel is not fancy by American standards, but it was brand new when we visited. It is pretty and clean, and the rooms are large. We chose it for its good location (10 minutes walk from the Zocalo, or town square) and heated swimming pool. Even though Oaxaca has wonderfully warm days year round, the cool nights can keep an unheated pool from warming up. Since we were traveling with a child, a heated pool seemed a necessity.
The continental breakfast included with the $100/night junior suite offered a wonderful selection of fresh papaya and other local fruit, along with the typical breads and cereals. The suite was just one extra large room and nice, marble or granite bathroom. We had a king bed and a comfortable pull-out sofa for our teenage child. Service was excellent.
Though the hotel's water is purified, we preferred to drink the bottled water left in the room each day. The hotel does not have a restaurant, but you'll find many wonderful inexpensive cafes close by and a variety of cuisines. We ate anything and everything and felt fine, because we were taking prescription antibiotics. After experiencing Montezuma's revenge on previous trips to Mexico, the antibiotics were a godsend. (see my epinion at http://www.epinions.com/content_1165074564)
To name a few, I loved Oaxaca for its:
- friendliness
- colorful stucco
- lively local markets
- beautiful churches
- lovely mountain views
- great weather
- good food and pleasant cafes
- fun shopping for local art and crafts.
Isn't it wonderful that tourism hasn't spoiled it? The locals still stroll the square and kiss on park benches; marimba bands play nightly in the city center; you hear very little English being spoken. Yet the city proves easy for tourists, because the amenities are there and the people are smiling and polite. Oaxaca is busy and alive, but when you peak through gates in the many walls, you see peaceful courtyards and gardens--a picture perfect serenity!
We took a local bus ride (cheap and OK) for about 30 minutes to visit the ruins at Mitla. This is a smaller, less popular site than Monte Alban, but interesting and not crowded. There are many other things to do in the area, including hikes in the mountains, but we enjoyed the city so much that we mostly stayed put for our wonderful week there.
Recommended:
Yes
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proeditor
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Location: Atlanta
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