Steve S.
Yelp
My wife and I recently returned to Oaxaca after almost five years and stayed in the historic district at the Casa de Siete Balcones Hotel again. It was our third time returning to Siete Balcones. I have stayed at and visited many hotels in Oaxaca both for business and pleasure. Siete Balcones is THE hotel for couples seeking a romantic and intimate experience.
The hotel is in a historic building and has only six suites, all on the second floor and all beautifully outfitted with large sumptuous beds, en suite showers, and living areas. The ceilings are high and everything feels roomy. And, of course, all suites have balconies above the street which open out onto either Morelos or the pedestrian-only street, Alcala. The location, directly between the zocalo and the Church of Santo Domingo is the best in town. We walked to everything, going as far north as the Llano park and as far south as the Abastos Indian Market.
We did not need to bring our pillows because there were plenty and there was a great range in size and firmness. The mattresses are firm. The balconies have wide sliding glass doors for great viewing, even from the bed. Even though the hotel is in the center of everything, the rooms can be absolutely darkened and sound deadened. The sliding balcony doors are double thick and there are heavy wood doors that close over them so you are guaranteed to have the most quiet sleep you can imagine in the middle of all the bustle.
Before we arrived, Janet and Julia assisted us in finding the rooms for ourselves and the other couple with whom we traveled. Upon arrival, we were greeted at the airport, welcomed warmly at the hotel and found fresh flowers and fine linens arranged beautifully in our room. There is a turn down service and we were treated to Oaxacan chocolates on our pillows on our return from a late dinner our first night. We had a coffee pot with both ground coffee and tea provided in our room.
There are no bath tubs, but The showers are big enough for two and provide an endless supply of hot water with good pressure. The hotel provides all the soaps, towels and amenities (think hair dryer) one expects in an American hotel, but also provides some interesting local products (we were treated to local balms and exfoliants in our shower basket).
Entry to the hotel is through a gate next to the front office. As in many hotels in Oaxaca entry is into a foyer which leads onto a courtyard open to the sky. Stairs lead to the second floor tiled deck where all the suites are located. There are ample seating areas along the deck and the breakfast area is located upstairs in the open area as well. All of the decked areas are under roof, but there is still a large area open to the sky and a side stair leads to a rooftop deck with views of the city. The outer areas are beautifully appointed with statuary, paintings and pottery.The hotel entrance is monitored 24/7. We always felt safe and that our valuables were secure, protected and could be left unattended in our suite. The entry is locked at night, but we could return at any time, because Marco, the night desk clerk was always waiting for us. Marco also provided bell service for us at 4:00 am the day of our departure: without being called, he was waiting for our bags outside our rooms.
The entire staff is committed to the well-being of the guests. We had breakfasts prepared to order, coffee delivered to the room, and site visit recommendations. The hotel has prepared its own pamphlet of recommendations as well. Any thing we wanted, all we had to do was call the front desk from our room. All staff at the hotel speak english. In past visits, the hotel has changed dollars to pesos, connected us with bus tours, laundry service and rental car companies.
On this trip we asked for a recommendation for a guide. The hotel called the guide for us and put us in touch with him. He had attended school in the US and spoke English fluently and, being Oaxacan had much to share about his culture. His warmth and intelligence were a positive reflection on Siete Balcones.
We stayed 6 nights at Sietes Balcones. Thorughout we were treated as returning family,. Our needs were always anticipated. We were catered to. The warmth of the staff, their care and dedication to our enjoyment of our stay, their hotel and their town make staying at Casa Sietes an experience worth repeating again and again.
We cannot wait until we visit them again. If your experience at the hotel is half of that which we enjoyed, you will be responding in thanks to this review.
