Hotel Isabel

I am writing this long overdue review of the Hotel Isabel where I stayed twice this summer. I have so much gratitude for the honest staff and the guests at the Hotel Isabel. They are full of integrity! Weeks after my visit, another guest found my credit card in the safe deposit box and turned it in to the front desk who contacted me in California to let me know that they had my credit card. I had not realized that it was missing! I immediately canceled my card and requested that the Hotel Isabel staff destroy it which they did, and they even sent me a video showing that they had cut up the card. Amazing! I could not believe it because 40 years before on my first trip to Mexico City as a student studying Spanish, I apparently lost my Ohio driver’s license at the ADO bus station. I did not realize this until my mother wrote me while I was still in Mexico to let me know that a kind Mexico City resident had mailed it back to my Ohio address! I love the Hotel Isabel, its guests and the residents of Mexico City. And now for the rest of my review: Every morning I was greeted by the friendly front desk staff, the delightful restaurant workers and fellow guests who hailed from all over Mexico and were very patient and kind when I spoke my rusty Spanish. It was so much better than staying in a sterile, Ikea-furnished AirBnB in some trendy neighborhood full of expatriate remote workers. My room was clean and comfortable, included an in-room sink, an electric fan, a TV, a safe deposit box, Wi-Fi and a shared bathroom that was five steps away. The restaurant is good and economical. I stayed at the end of May when the candidates were closing down their campaigns before the June 2 presidential elections. My room had a view of the Aztlán Ferris Wheel and the Torre Latinoamericana, sporting a “VE Y VOTA” (GO AND VOTE) sign encouraging Mexicans to vote for their first woman president. I bought tasty tortas and extra water from the woman owner of the sandwich shop outside of the hotel, walked to the Metropolitan Cathedral and Alameda Central Park and had easy access to many Metro and bus stops so that I could explore the city. The hotel staff was happy to give sightseeing advice and directions and even called another hotel to confirm my reservations for the next leg of my trip. After my travels to Pátzcuaro and Oaxaca I returned to the Hotel Isabel for the last few nights of my Mexico visit. This time I got a room with private bathroom. It had high ceilings, a balcony overlooking the Republica de El Salvador cobblestone street and the famous safe deposit box!

Old, budget hotel very close to the Zocalo. Stayed during Dia de Los Muertos and the decorations were fantastic. Near to metro. Room facing street can be noisy.

Hello everyone. Just stayed here for 2 days in my recent visit to mexico city. I wouldn’t say much about the service and location those 5 stars should be enough to tell how was it. Talking about the rooms all is good. Didn’t see any charging socket beside the bed could work on that maybe by a wire extension. And one more important thing it is close to most of the activities around, shops and a few attractions.

It has been a while since I stayed in HOTEL ISABEL. I picked it then, because it has the name of one of the Mothers I have had in life (so I didn't even consult Google Maps). Then in a recent walk I passed by and took the attached photo, which brought me nice memories of my latest stay: I had a great rest; the location is unbeatable; the zone is well guarded by Mexico City's P.D.; and I even made a great friend staying in another room. We had great talks about Mexico, History, and Culture, as we walked around town. This to stay, if you're lucky your stay will also be about the people who choose HOTEL ISABEL.

What a wonderful, spooky old place! Excellent location. The restaurant is good and convenient. The bar is a hoot! Full of locals who kindly tolerated and welcomed us into their little scene. The rooms were clean and very spacious. The staff was unfailingly polite, helpful and friendly. ||Do be aware that multiple rooms/nights require a deposit. That was not made totally clear to us and one of our rooms had been cancelled. We were able to get an additional room the next night however, and it was even more fabulous than the first. The staff was very kind and apologetic about it. eh, it happens!!||Rooms facing the street have some street noise along with the view of the city scape. To be expected, but our second room was very quiet and peaceful facing the courtyard.

I really enjoyed my stay at Hotel Isabel. I am giving the service and location 5 stars and the room 4 stars. If you are exploring the Zocalo area, the location is perfect and the prices are reasonable. My room was 660 pesos or roughly $38 US dollars. You can walk to the hotel from the Zocalo or Allende metro stations, which I utilized coming and going. I chose a room with a private bathroom and upon booking, I requested a room with a view. It was on the top floor and had an incredible view of the tiled dome of Templo St. Augustin. I have added a photo of my view. I loved the historic vibe of the hotel and the neon marquee is very cool. Although I love historic hotels, they rarely have been retrofitted with central air conditioning, so my room was very hot. It was May, so to be expected, and perhaps if I had not requested a room with a view, I may have been placed on a lower floor that might have been cooler. There was a fan provided but it just recirculated the hot air in the room. The customer service in all areas of this hotel is excellent. The employees are friendly and helpful. The restaurant and bar in the hotel are great and are also patronized by guests not staying in the hotel which says a lot. The food in the restaurant isn’t anything unique, but it arrives fast, is affordable and is very convenient. Having arrived exhausted and hungry, for me it was incredible. For 120 pesos or roughly 7 US dollars, I got a 4 course meal with a delicious soup, salad, choice of 3 different entrees, a drink and dessert, plus bread. I also had an incredible time in the hotel bar. I was a solo female traveler and even though the bar was filled with older men, nobody bothered me in a way that made me feel uncomfortable. I felt very safe. A musician came in with a guitar and was extremely talented. He got everyone singing really loud and it was fun. They have some bar food available for late night snacking. I had chips and guacamole. They have a bodega where you can check your luggage for free if you arrive early or are leaving after checkout time which I utilized. It was very helpful. They also have room service from both the restaurant and bar which I did not use, but witnessed the waiters delivering food and drink to other guests in their rooms. The shower had plenty of hot water and good water pressure. I would definitely stay here again although if it was in a warmer month, I might inquire about a room on a lower floor that might be a little cooler. The only other “cons” besides the temperature in my room are that the overhead lights in the room were harsh, bright daylight bulbs. A simple table lamp with a warm, low wattage bulb and a lampshade would be nice. Also, the shower floor is level with the bathroom floor. It’s all just the same floor. This is a very typical thing found in hotels and houses all over Mexico but it does make for a slippery bathroom floor. It would be good if they provided a separate bath mat or floor towel for safety so you don’t have to use your bath towel on the floor.

We stayed here for 5 nights (Fri to Weds), all the staff were very helpful and we booked a couple of really good value day trips through the hotel.|The room itself was a little dated but was clean and secure, the shower had poor pressure but was adequate. Overall though I can't complain about the facilities as the price was good value.|The hotel bar is pretty good, again staff and patrons couldn't have been friendlier. There are also lots of bars only 200m away in Calle Regina. The breakfast options are limited but the service and quality were good.|Where the hotel was let down was the quality of sleep. Our room overlooked a side street where loud music was played until after 04:00 each night from Fri to Sun. Sleep simply wasn't possible. The windows on these rooms need to be upgraded to triple glazing to give the occupants some chance of getting to sleep.

This hotel is near the historic center. What I like about this hotel is their tours. It's much cheaper than what you see on the prices online. The only con is the availability of English tour guide. They only do the tours in Spanish. They have restaurant near the lobby area. It's good to have breakfast here. Although, there are so many breakfast options outside. Their service is good. They have small elevator that can fit 4 people. Otherwise, you take the stairs. The hotel is walking distance to the church and to main shopping centers. I love that we can always get an Uber right away. There is an oxxo nearby if you want to get quick snacks. Our rooms were basic. We have three beds inside, a small television, a safe and one cabinet for clothes. The toilet is okay. Sometimes the hot water doesn't get too hot. The faucet water doesn't get too hot. It gets cooler at night, and their blankets help you sleep well. The rooms are well lit. They look old and basic, but the room still works even if it is basic. The only thing I didn't like was because the hotel is near the main street and some pubs. You could always hear noises outside. Our room was near the street, so if you request a room far away from the street, that would be better. If you don't mind the noise, then it's okay.

I've stayed at this hotel six times. This time, I received an email from them offering free breakfasts. I bought a six night stay, and was expected the free breakfasts. However, the attached restaurant didn't even open until 9 am, so by then we were long gone so the offer was circumvented by not being open until late. They also tried to charge me twice for the last night stay, which was annoying plus I found that I was overcharged for the room based on their rack rate... and they wouldn't adjust the rate! For some reason, they no longer provided bottles of water in the rooms, you had to ask. That means if you didn't know better you'd drink from the faucet, which in Mexico is asking to become ill. Don't bother with this place, it's falling apart!

Stayed here back in '83 when Dad and I toured Mexico. This is the historic hotel where John Ross lived for many years. Service was impeccable. Ambiance wonderful. Would both return and recommend.