I hope success doesn't ruin the Maria Cristina

I went to Tripadvisor for advice on Mexico City Hotels and their advice was right on. The Maria Cristina is a great value with charm. We were within an easy walk of the Zona Rosa for dinner (try El Refugio) and the area had so many tourist police we felt no qualms walking around at night. Most of the clientele appeared to be Mexican businessmen and professionals. The guide Ricardo who hangs out around the hotel, is not cheap, but he really knows his stuff and is a better value than climbing on a tourist bus to go out to Teotihucan.

Well located near Zona Rosa

Stayed here in January 2005. Phone: ---------------Mexico City (in Lonely Planet). Hotel is well located near Zona Rosa but the rooms are very tiny and reception staff were not very friendly. The elevator worked intermittently but it is only 4 floors to the top! The inhouse restaurant was good and we used the travel agent in the foyer to book a wonderful tour of the canals which included a visit to Frida and Diego's homes and galleries. It was easy to take the bus up and down the main thoroughfare to the Museum of Anthropology and from Terminal Norte there is a frequent bus service to the ruins.

Always interesting

The M.C. has always been a favorite of ours. It is reasonably priced, the staff are sufficiently surly and pretend (at all the right times) to understand no English (or Spanish, for that matter!). The rooms are always clean and the place is a little oasis in the middle of a City that can be very fast-paced. Off-street parking is available in the rear courtyard as well.

Rumoured to have been one of Pancho Villa's houses, over the past 20 years we have stayed there always seems to have been some fellow guests of questionable backgrounds; it's the kind of place where you can imagine spies from third-rate Balkan countries waiting on the red velvet couches in the lobby for their next assignments. The restaurant is always open and the bacon at breakfast is incredible.

Review from a Mexican user.

This comment is from somebody who lives in this country and always is looking for a good price-value offer.

I do not live at Mexico City but I have to visit this beautiful place for bussines or pleasure for one or two nights. The hotel has an excellent location just one block from Paseo de la Reforma, the main Mexico City avenue, 3-4 blocks from the US embassy. I use this hotel to travel with my family. I agree with other reviews in this site regarding rooms and service. Excelent if you would like to visit the city and just return to your room to rest. Several places of interest are not so for from it.

Loved maria

I fell in love with this hotel. Reasonably priced, a beautiful structure, quiet neighborhood not far from the action, a good restaurant, bar, garden, patio, what more can you ask for?

Wonderful Hotel

The hotel was great. Good location on the edge of the Zona Rosa, clean rooms, lovely courtyard and lawn area, pleasant staff. Will stay there again next year.

Great hotel, OK location

The hotel was great. Comfortable room & modern bathroom with good water pressure. Good service & great guide (Harvey) available at the travel agency in the lobby. Great tour of the pyramids.

However, I would not recommend staying in the Zona Rosa. It is too far from things. The Zona Rosa itself is also a tacky area with lots of clubs and low-end restaurants. If I go back to Mexico City, I will stay near the Zocolo. Also, the walk from Zona Rosa into the historic center would be a pleasant 30 minute stroll, except that the entire area is under construction & a gauntlet to try to navigate.

(I was there in May 2004 and it looked like the road/sidewalk work would continue for at least 6 more months.)

Classic Value

I've stayed several times at the Maria Cristina. To me it has always been a peaceful oasis in the heart of an otherwise congested and busy city. It is a great value and provides clean, well maintained rooms and services. There are few amenities (no pool, etc) but it is close to La Zona Rosa and Polanco. For the budget conscious traveler, you can't do much better than the Maria Cristina.

I always want to stay at Maria Cristina

I stayed at the Maria Cristina Hotel in August, 2001 on a trip to Mexico City. The hotel is attractive on the outside and inside, has a friendly and helpful staff, good restaurant, and excellent accomodations. The location is ideal. Within walking distance to the Zona Rosa and nearby parks, yet amazingly quiet! Whenever I come to Mexico City, I always want to stay here. The prices are reasonable. It is an excellent hotel and I would highly recommend it to anyone. (Single, Couples, Families- anyone)! Can't wait for my next visit.

Comfortable, good location

The Maria Cristina is located close to the Zona Rosa in

Mexico City, a short walk away. We stayed in one of the suites available, which consisted of a front room w/fold-out bed (where my son bunked) and a separate room w/ a large queen bed. The bathroom had a huge jacuzzi tub plus

all other accomodations. The hotel is nicely maintained and more than adequate for an economy-minded tourist who wants easy access to tourist areas but without Zona Rosa prices. City buses one block away get you to the Zocalo and, in the other direction, to prime museums. Because the hotel is a walk away from Zona Rosa, many, many very good restaurants are nearby.

We stayed several nights two years ago and will return this month. A very pleasant and quiet haven in Mexico City.