What about the hostels (Mexico)?

Hi all,

has anyone had experience with staying in hostels while traveling in
Mexico (Mexico City, Puebla, Oaxaca, Puerto Escondido, maybe Acapulco,
and surrounding)? We are giving serious thought to extending trip
plans to 10 days, against our budget, but it sounds like Mexico has so
much to offer... However, I don't know much about hostels and have had
no experience with them.

many thanks again,

Ken

"Kenny-Z" <reply@group.please> on 30 Jan 2004 suggested:

> Hi all,
>
> has anyone had experience with staying in hostels while traveling in
> Mexico (Mexico City, Puebla, Oaxaca, Puerto Escondido, maybe Acapulco,
> and surrounding)? We are giving serious thought to extending trip
> plans to 10 days, against our budget, but it sounds like Mexico has so
> much to offer... However, I don't know much about hostels and have had
> no experience with them.
>
I've only stayed at Hostels in Cancun and Playa del Carmen, but
they were both reasonable, and inexpensive (about USD $10/night). I met
some very interesting people there, and never had any problems. This
was over 6 years ago, though, so things may have changed.

There are hotels in/near Mexico City that charge as little as USD
$15/night, some even with Jacuzzis. They aren't luxurious, but they are
comfortable, clean and safe, which is what is important to me when I
travel.

In Acapulco, especially in the low season, such as now, you should
be able to find hotel rooms in the USD $20/night range fairly easily,
sometimes they are even advertised on the billboards you see on the road
from Mexico City to Acapulco. As for the other cities you mention, I
have no current information. Good luck, have a great time, and when you
get back, let us know what you find!

--Douglas

"Kenny-Z" <reply@group.please> on 30 Jan 2004 suggested:

> Thanks for the reply, Douglas. Sounds encouraging. We mainly want to
> keep our expenses down because the air fare is not looking as good as
> I had hoped ($570, MSP to MEX).

How expensive is it for you to get to Chicago O'Hare from MSP? If
you can get to O'Hare you can do ORD-MEX non-stop for $327 on American,
round trip.

--Douglas

>down because the air fare is not looking as good as
>I had hoped ($570, MSP to MEX).>>>

You might want to look in your Sunday paper travel section and look at
pacakages to Mex. Not for the package, but for the possibility of airfare ONLY.
You can usually book air only. Sure it will be a a beach destination, but you
are planning Acapulco anyway. You could start and end there instead.
Sometimes they have pretty good deals on air only, AND, this being a good
thing, those charters fly DIRECT to the destination. That is a huge timesaver
each way. Otherwise it may take you all day to go MCP- Mex by way of
connections and wait times.
I live Denver and in 2 1/2 hrs I can be in P.V. charter. Whereas I went
commercial to La Paz and it took me all day per routing and plane changes.

"Treemoss2" <treemoss2@> wrote in message
news:20040203171604.19387.00000959@mb-m26....
> >down because the air fare is not looking as good as
> >I had hoped ($570, MSP to MEX).>>>
>
> You might want to look in your Sunday paper travel section and look
at
> pacakages to Mex. Not for the package, but for the possibility of
airfare ONLY.
> You can usually book air only. Sure it will be a a beach
destination, but you
> are planning Acapulco anyway. You could start and end there instead.
> Sometimes they have pretty good deals on air only, AND, this being a
good
> thing, those charters fly DIRECT to the destination. That is a huge
timesaver
> each way. Otherwise it may take you all day to go MCP- Mex by way of

Not sure if we have a typo, but we're coming from MSP (Minneapolis,
MN).

Thanks for the suggestion. We have been peeking at the Sunday travel
and may have something for closer to $400 total per person, with short
layover in Texas. But sometimes the paper says one thing and a sales
associate quotes another price...

> connections and wait times.
> I live Denver and in 2 1/2 hrs I can be in P.V. charter. Whereas I
went
> commercial to La Paz and it took me all day per routing and plane
changes.

That's a pretty sweet deal.

kz

>
>

Kenny-Z wrote:
> Thanks for the offer. We're still working out an itinerary, but if you
> know more about any accommodations in Oaxaca, DF, Puerto Escondido, or
> Taxco, other than what the guide book says, feel free to reply to the
> thread (I'll be keeping them marked for a while longer...)

Two years ago, I did a DF, Oaxaca, Puerto Angel roundtrip. Oaxaca has
lots of colonial charm as well as regional and indigenous identity. I
really liked Puerto Angel, but it is very quiet even at Xmas when we
were there. There is a lovely hotel with a great restaurant called
Buena Vista (I think). It was $35 a night and well worth it as the
rooms were individual little houses scattered on a hilltop overlooking
the beach. I'm sure there are many cheaper options.

Kenny-Z wrote:

> Thanks for the offer. We're still working out an itinerary, but if you
> know more about any accommodations in Oaxaca, DF, Puerto Escondido, or
> Taxco, other than what the guide book says, feel free to reply to the
> thread (I'll be keeping them marked for a while longer...)
>
> regards,
>
> Ken
>

Hey Ken...

If you get the Let's Go book, you'll have the same info as me.
It's a good bet for the budget traveler regarding accomadations
and food.

I've also been carving out my itinerary for a two week trip
from Mexico City to Cancun. You can find my revised itinerary
on a recent post here if you care to check it.

I've been reading all my little guide books and getting excited.
Plus I can't wait to get away from this NYC winter! (We're having
a heatwave today at 41 degrees!)

Have fun,

-todd

"Todd Amodeo" <igosoftlym> wrote in message
news:czdUb.20$xV.4408@typhoon.nyu.edu...
>
>
> Kenny-Z wrote:
>
> > Thanks for the offer. We're still working out an itinerary, but if
you
> > know more about any accommodations in Oaxaca, DF, Puerto
Escondido, or
> > Taxco, other than what the guide book says, feel free to reply to
the
> > thread (I'll be keeping them marked for a while longer...)
> >
> > regards,
> >
> > Ken
> >
>
> Hey Ken...
>
> If you get the Let's Go book, you'll have the same info as me.
> It's a good bet for the budget traveler regarding accomadations
> and food.

Sounds good. I suggested it to my travel partner since I have the
Lonely Planet. Those two guides should do us good...


> I've also been carving out my itinerary for a two week trip
> from Mexico City to Cancun. You can find my revised itinerary
> on a recent post here if you care to check it.

Actually I have been following that thread. Good luck!

> I've been reading all my little guide books and getting excited.
> Plus I can't wait to get away from this NYC winter! (We're having
> a heatwave today at 41 degrees!)

Sorry, no sympathy from a native Minnesotan! Our heat wave was 20
degrees and that was a hoot! On the other hand, you have more traffic
etc., depending on the area. I was in NYC about 4 years ago for a
week. Fun place to visit. Liked the melting pot of so many races,
cultures, etc.

> Have fun,
>
> -todd

Thanks, and you do the same!

Ken

>
>
>