Mexico Guide
Oaxaca
Accommodation
1 Monte Albán Alameda de León 1 
951/516-2777 
516-3265 Beautiful, if cavernous, colonial-style hotel right opposite the cathedral. Excellent value given the location, with some lovely external rooms and gloomier internal ones. Nightly folklórico dancing takes place in the main hall. Price: M$250-350
2 Plata Gelatina Independencia 504 951/514-9391 The best backpacker option in town. Just a stone's throw from the zócalo, this renovated and expanded hostel is nicely decorated and has a young, friendly atmosphere. It offers clean, airy and colourful dorms or private rooms (with shared hot showers). There are also kitchen facilities, Internet access, a pool table, a bar and a café serving excellent coffee and brick-oven pizzas. You can hang out your washing on the large terrace while enjoying great views of Santo Domingo and Monte Albán. Price: M$150-200
3 Posada del Centro Independencia 403 951/516-1874 Pleasant rooms around a tiled courtyard, most with shared bath and some with private bath; a good deal, although front rooms face a heavily trafficked street. Price: M$250-350
4 Aitana Crespo Sabino Crespo 313 951/514-3788 
www.hotelaitanaoaxaca.com With more attention to detail than most hotels in this range, the well-managed Aitana has fine rooms with cable TV, safe, coffee-makers, fan and spacious bathrooms with shower, bathtub and hairdryer, all grouped around a leafy courtyard. There are panoramic views from the rooftop terrace, which has sun loungers and tables. It's five blocks west of Santo Domingo, just north of the basilica. Price: M$350-500
5 Bugambilias Reforma 402 951/516-1165 www.mexonline.com/bugambil.htm Peaceful, central colonial house beside La Olla café, just south of Santo Domingo. Eight comfortable, airy rooms (individually decorated with work by local artists) with private bath. Rates include breakfast. Price: M$500–1100
6 Camino Real Oaxaca 5 de Mayo 300 951/516-0611 www.camino-real-oaxaca.com Oaxaca's priciest hotel (from M$2000 a night), in the beautifully converted sixteenth-century Ex-Convento de Santa Catalina. Candles light the way through arcaded, flower-filled courtyards to characterful, if rather medievally dimensioned, rooms and idyllic gardens. If a night's stay is beyond your budget, a lingering coffee or cocktail in the courtyard is a worthy substitute. Price: M$1500 and over
7 Casa Arnel Aldama 404, in Colonia Jalatlaco 951/515-2856 www.oaxaca.com.mx/arnel Between the zócalo and first-class bus station, and within walking distance of both, Casa Arnel is a popular family-run place. Reasonably priced rooms (with or without bath – some are smaller than others) sit around a leafy courtyard. Guests have access to a rooftop bar, where breakfast (additional cost) is served, as well as to Internet, laundry and a library; the management also offers tours in Oaxaca and outlying areas. There are newer rooms and apartments (around M$4000 a month) across the street. Price: M$200-250
8 
Casa Cid de León Morelos 602 951/514-1893 www.casaciddeleon.com With just four suites, all beautifully and idiosyncratically restored by owner, poet and artist-in-residence Leticia Rodríguez, this is one of Mexico's most memorable hotels. Each spacious room is crammed with antiques, books and trinkets – a regal, timeless aura pervades every artfully conceived nook and cranny. There is a lovely terrace where breakfast is served, and the staff are charming and efficient. Price: M$1100 and over
9 La Casa de los Milagros Matamoros 500 951/501-2262 www.mexonline.com/milagros.htm Justifiably a mid-range favourite, this small, family-run, colonial hotel has just three immaculate, individually styled rooms in a dream home setting. There's a beautiful communal kitchen, a dining room and a patio – the "Angeles" room even has its own waterfall. Price: M$500-750
10 Casa del Sótano Tinoco y Palacios 414 951/516-2494 www.mexonline.com/casadelsotano.htm Just two blocks from the church of Santo Domingo, this smart, modern hotel retains a traditional feel with folk-art flourishes and comfy rooms, all with a/c. Earth tones and dark wood evoke fancy monks' quarters – some are very small, so ask to see a few first. There's an inviting terrace café and a lovely art gallery on the premises, both run by the same friendly character. Basic breakfast is included. Price: M$750-1100
11 Casa Oaxaca García Vígil 407 951/514-4173 www.casa-oaxaca.com If you are going to splurge, Casa Oaxaca, the personal favourite of Gabriel García Marquéz, is the place. Seven tastefully serene, spacious rooms are set around a pristine white courtyard with a tiled pool and sumptuous restaurant. With an emphasis on intimacy and tranquillity, the service is faultless and Oaxacan artistry is woven through every immaculate detail. Delicious breakfast included. Price: M$1500 and over
12 Cazomalli Salto 104, near Aldama 951/513-3513 Quaint little posada with comfy rooms in a colonial house with a gorgeous rooftop breakfast area, and a helpful owner. Price: M$350-500
13 Las Golondrinas Tinoco y Palacios 411 951/514-3298 514-2126 Tidy, pristine rooms in an old colonial house, each with separate reception area and bathroom. The main draw is the gorgeous, flower-filled courtyard where breakfast is served. Very tranquil with a distinctly local flavour. Price: M$500-750
14 Hostal Guadalupe Juárez 409 951/516-6365 A short walk from the zócalo, this quiet little hostel has dorms and private rooms with tidy shared bathrooms. Luggage lockers are available. Price: Under $200
15 Hostal Pochón Callejón del Carmen 102 951/516-1322 www.hostalpochon.com Close to the Santo Domingo church, this is the best hostel in town. Dorms (for 2 and 4 people), double rooms and shared bathrooms are all surgically clean, and the colourfully inviting patio and common areas have an inviting traveller hangout vibe. There is cable TV, free Internet, cheap international calls, a substantial breakfast and efficient, welcoming staff. Discounts are available for group and online bookings. Price: Under $200
16 Hotel Angel Inn Hidalgo 204 951/133-6128 www.hotelangelinn.com Well-appointed, clean, motel-style rooms a few blocks from the zócalo. Especially good-value choice for families. Small swimming pool. Price: M$500-750
17 Hotel Vertíz Reforma 404 951/516-2525 www.hotelvertiz.com.mx A welcoming, cheerful place. Decent-sized, if rather sterile, rooms equipped with TV, noisy a/c, fans and sizeable bathrooms, branching off from an inviting courtyard. Slightly overpriced for what you get. Price: M$500-750
18 Las Mariposas Pino Suárez 517 951/515-5854. Delightful colonial-style hotel with spacious, thoughtful rooms, some with kitchenettes and all with private bathrooms, clustered around a vibrant courtyard complete with flowers and fish-filled fountains. The staff are very helpful and happy to provide a wealth of information on tours. Very popular with long-stay Spanish students. Breakfast and Internet access are included. Price: M$250–500
19 Posada Hostal Don Mario Cosijopí 219 951/514-2012 www.posadahostaldonmario.8m.com . The house where Rufino Tamayo, Oaxaca's most famous contemporary painter, was born is now a sociable hostel popular with language students, with bright, cheerful public areas and clean, if rather gloomy, rooms for around M$200 per night, or M$250 with private bath. Internet access, tour information and Spanish classes are available. Price: M$200-250
20 Principal 5 de Mayo 208 951/516-2535 Colonial-style place with a central courtyard and friendly owner. Simple, functional rooms with private bathrooms are grouped around a lovely garden that suggests something pricier than what it is. Rooms to the rear are quieter. Good value considering the colonial flourishes and location. Price: M$350-500
21 Hostal Casa Paulina Trujano 321 951/516-2005 Ultra-clean and white, to the point of having an institutional feel. There are separate dorm rooms for men and women, clean bathrooms and some private rooms (Price: M$150-200). There's also a small garden with fountains, beer for sale in the lobby and a rooftop lounge.