Camino Real Oaxaca Hotel

We stayed 2 memorable nights in this hotel on mid-august and we really enjoyed it.

This magnificent hotel is formerly a 16th century convent with gardens, fountains, arches, boutiques, etc.

Our room are large and clean with fan & AC and very well furnished (however the bathroom is a little bit narrow). The hotel staff is very efficient, friendly and courteous.

Well no doubt, la Casona is truly the best hotel in Oaxaca.

My wife and I stayed in late June 2004 and would highly recommend this hotel. The facility was an oasis of tranquility and the staff was excellent. The manager met each table at breakfast asking how each stay was. The only negative was the hard mattress.

My family and I spent a few days here during spring break 2004, and found it one of the most breathtakingly beautiful places we've ever stayed -- genuinely different, beautifully maintained, with a real sense of charm and authenticity. That being said, our room was TINY (my husband joked that it was once a nun's room, after all) and not a particularly good value for the money (and the previous poster was right -- the beds are HARD!). We found the service friendly and efficient.



The location is excellent, a few blocks from the main square, close to lots of great little shops (selling the beautiful folk art for which Oaxaca is famous), but relatively quiet. We did get a courtyard room, so we weren't bothered by excessive noise.

The pool is lovely, set in the middle of a bouganvillia-strewn courtyard, and they had a kids' program that our six-year-old daughter enjoyed. A lot of the other guests were Mexicans on their spring vacation, and our daughter made several new friends despite a slight language barrier.

The breakfast was quite good, but the food at Guelaguetza (the folk dance/buffet thing they offer some nights) was substandard -- you can easily find a better meal at one of the local restaurants. The folk dancing was fine, but a little dull if you're used to the more spirited Mexican folk dancing that you see in states like Jalisco (totally my own bias, obviously!).

In general I would say that the Camino Real is a beautiful hotel, and I would recommend it to anyone visiting Oaxaca. If we visit again, we'll definitely splurge for a suite, though.

Spent a week at this wonderful hotel. Had read mixed reviews; however, our experience was great. Room 246, interior club,second floor overlooking the pool was perfect and quiet. Service was first rate and the breakfast buffet

included with a club room was worth it. Also

included was a social/bar hour every day. I must say the mattresses were "the firmest I have ever

encountered;" however, I found myself liking it

after a night or two. Julia in housekeeping "went

beyond the call" daily in room preparation (probably

the best daily service in Mexico, with the exception

of La Casa Que Canta in Zihua. We used the Oaxaca Hotel Group to book our trip and it was a

winner. Sunday brunch at the hotel is very good

and cost less than $20 each.

I treated myself to a week in Oaxaca for mty 50th birtday. I got a fabulously good deal with Expedia for a couple of nights at the Camino Real They specified 'an upgrade if possible.' WOW!! I couldn't believe how luxurious the room was-unbelievable!!!! On the other hand, 2 friends that were travelling with me, paid top dollar(not through Expedia) got a bad room. Their room had no window and the airconditioning stopped working in the middle of the night (room #232)...The Holiday Inn Express was terrific too. Ask for room # 128 for a king-size bed, and a private patio that overlooks the pool and jacuzzi. The H.I. comes with a good free breakfast, and even has fossils in the marble floor in the bathrooms! Also, you can get your own ice from a machine vs. room service at the C.R. and you can iron your own clothes with iron and board in room. However, the deluxe Cam.R., has turndown service, and english CNN!

I suppose that most people do not go to Oaxaca for business, but rather for pleasure. Unfortunately, I had to go for work. The meeting was held at the Camino Real, so I really had no choice in lodging. As other reviewers have noted, one's stay is directly related to the room one receives upon check in. The hotel only has 2 floors. Some of the rooms face courtyards, others have rooms that are adjacent to the street. I had the latter, and it was extremely noisy. I could hear the casual conversations of pedestrians as they strolled past, which meant I caould also hear roaring engines, car alarms, and arguments. The hotel is completely lacking in any kind of support for business. There is no business center or any kind of facility. To access the Internet, I had to go to an Internet cafe three blocks down the street (an incredible deal at 8 pesos per hour!). The breakfast buffet is OK, and a tad expensive (130 pesos) for what you get. There's a chef who appears to be making omelets, but she she really makes scrambled eggs with stuff thrown in (a big difference from real omelets). The service in the restaurant is very, very slow. The other thing is that the hotel is on a pedestrian mall, and so some cabs won't be able to drop you off in front of the hotel. You may have to walk a bit. You can catch a group cab from the airport to the hotel for 24 pesos, but a private cab costs 120 pesos.

The hotel was highly recommended by a friend, so we stayed here even after reading negative comments online. We ended up regretting our decision. The hotel is lovely, the staff is pretty friendly. The rooms are small, and not too comfortable. We got a room facing the street, and it was too noisy. We had noise day and night. We asked to be changed and the staff didn't respond. The restaurant overlooking the patio is wonderful to dine. We will definitely not stay there again.

The Santo Domingo area is wonderful to stay, with cafes, plazas, and restaurants. Stay there, just avoid overpaying for a noisy, average room at the Camino Real.

This hotel is simply lovely; a quiet oasis. The 16th Century architecture is beautifully respected in this renovation. The hotel is a Unesco site. Although it has 95 rooms, you always feel like you are in a small boutique type hotel. Rooms can be a bit small but comfortable, with high ceilings. Hey, it was a convent, so that is to be expected! There are some larger suites, etc. Wander around the place and see all the lovely gardens. Have a drink at the pool bar, or in the interior areas. They are all open air and surrounded by immaculate gardens.The hotel really has thought out what is best for the clients re: restaurant; it is open air but cozy, overlooking an interior garden . It is open24 hours, which means that even though this hotel seems very quiet and serene, some one is almost always quietly socializing at a table no matter when you come in at night. (The public areas are lit with candles at night)There is one menu with a wide variety of local dishes, elegantly presented; everything you could want from breakfast style food, salads, desserts, and main courses.No need to worry about missing breakfast, lunch or dinner. It's always there! Do try the breakfast buffet, though. It is not the usual dried up fair, and there is always a cook ready to make you huevos rancheros or simply scrambled eggs! The front desk was very polite and helpful as well. All the staff is unobtrusive but they are there if you need them. Also check you the once a week folkloric show that is held at the hotel. They also hosted several other local intimate classical-type concerts.A great place to relax and enjoy old Mexico. Be warned! Not too many gringoes here!

I was shocked by the negative review of this hotel. We just returned from our most recent trip to Mexico a little over a week ago. We visited several cities and stayed in several hotels and beach resorts considerably more expensive than Camino Real, Oaxaca. However, we thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere of the restored convent. The staff was wonderful. They arranged reservations at local restaurants, made recommendations, gave us directions and found a wonderful guide for us. Many of the front desk staff are proficient in Spanish, English, French and German. We were always greeted with a cheerful "Buenos Dias", even from the maids and grounds keepers, as soon as we stepped outside our room. We were consistently treated with kindness and some amusement because of my halting Spanish. We have recommended this hotel to several people since our return. I can't say enough good about it. We expect to return to Oaxaca this Christmas to see the festivities and plan to stay here again. It was a charming and very positive experience.

I recently stayed at the Camino Real. I was very disappointed and will not return to the property due to the terrible service I received. The front desk staff was unhelpful, did not honor the room type that I reserved and confirmed, and did not follow through on several requests. In addition, the rooms are average and the bathrooms a bit outdated for such a "highly rated" property. I recommend staying at one of the smaller, service oriented inns in Oaxaca, not at the Camino Real.