We had several stand out guides and experiences!
Mexico | Oct 7 - Oct 27, 2024

S
Sara P.
Windsor, CA | Reviewed on Oct 28, 2024

We had several stand out guides and experiences.
San Miguel de Allende
. Alberto in San Miguel de Allende made us feel very welcome and gave us a great overview of the town.
. Tour with Aldo and driver Raul of Guanajuato was also excellent.
as you know Hotel Petra has seen better days and was not comfortable. We cannot recommend it. We stayed a bit above town at Casa de Liza. It is delightful and the restaurant below has a good breakfast.
Bus was really comfortable getting us to MXC.
Mexico City
. Dani was a good start for exploring the centro.
. the bike and explore Techtihuacan tour was just ok. Felt like the guide was disinterested and the lunch spot was very touristic.
. Emiliano was a terrific guide on the mural tour.
the AU bus was pretty basic We would have preferred the upgraded version in the same company which has a bathroom for the 2 1/2 hour ride..
Puebla
. we loved Puebla and thank Rene for including it in our itinerary... super clean and pleasant city all around.
. Aleyn was a great guide in Chalupa where we learned about all things corn and tried to make tortillas from scratch. Would like to have added a visit to the archeology site at the base of the buried pyramid.
. Guadalupe took us back into the country of Atlizto where flowers abound and started out search for all the Catrinas. So fun! The town is charming and full of history and pretty zocalo.
Oaxaca
. the long drive was broken up with a trip to the onyx factory (not much happening), the gorgeous cactus forest reserve in Tehuacan, and an interesting stop at the salt ponds. Our driver Ernesto was charming and super patient and our guide Alex was very kind.
. The stop at the tule tree was worthwhile and Alex our guide and driver is very knowledgeable. The ride to Hierve el Agua was long and we wish we had know to bring swimsuits. Stopping at the traditional mescal distillery on the roadside was a great addition.
We decided to forgo any more tours on the road and had a blast wandering in Oaxaca for our last two days.

Hotel Reviews
Hotel Boutique Parador San Miguel
Oaxaca

the nicest place we stayed. very pretty hotel with an interior courtyard. We would stay here again.

Authenticity & Character
really pretty courtyard and the room had Oaxacan character
Location
close to the action adn on a busy street, but once inside the rooms are quiet.
Staff
super nice and helpful. they went out of their way.
Cleanliness & Comfort
comfortable bed, clean room and nicely sized shower.
Hotel Petra
San Miguel de Allende

lumpy beds and pillows. The place is rundown adn must have been charming at one time.

Authenticity & Character
Location
there are better places close to downtown.
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Casa Rosa Gran Hotel Boutique
Puebla

We enjoyed the location and rooftop restaurant. Our room had an amazing view of the cathedral and while there was a lot of street music outside, the room was quiet. The room was clean although a bit small for two people with luggage for a three week trip, but it is workable.

Authenticity & Character
the rooftop restaurant is great - has a lovely view. the room has a window that opens up to the street below. so you can see the action.
Location
right on the Cathedral Square and catty corner to the Zocalo
Staff
staff was nice, but not friendly. Our needs were met when we mentioned the smell of sewer gas in the sink.
Cleanliness & Comfort
the bed was comfortable , but the room is small and bathroom is small and there is a smell of sewer gas if the sink stopper is left open.
Activity Reviews
Monte Albán and the alebrijes workshop: an unforgettable experience
Monte Albán and the alebrijes workshop: an unforgettable experience
Oaxaca

we did not take this tour and we were tired of driving and wanted more time in Oaxaca.

Shared biking experience through Teotihuacan "The City of the Gods"
Shared biking experience through Teotihuacan "The City of the Gods"
Mexico City

so so. guide seemed to be "dialing it in", although the city of the Gods is awesome. Glad we saw it.

A Walk among Murals: Exploring the History and Legacy of Mexican Muralists
A Walk among Murals: Exploring the History and Legacy of Mexican Muralists
Mexico City

excellent guide...

Between markets and corn in the magical town of Cholula
Between markets and corn in the magical town of Cholula
Mexico

really fun tour, great time making tortillas. Would add a visit to the archeology center at teh base of the pyramid next time.

Exploring Atlixco: Puebla's Garden
Exploring Atlixco: Puebla's Garden
Puebla

Great guide through the backroad gardens and farms and looking for Catrinas all over the town. the guide was from a traditional village and had lots to share about traditions

Walk in a Cactus Forest: Tehuacán-Cuicuitlan Biosphere Reserve
Walk in a Cactus Forest: Tehuacán-Cuicuitlan Biosphere Reserve
Mexico

we are landscape architects so seeing this place like none other was fabulous.

Visit Mitla, the Tule Tree, a Mezcal Distillery & Teotitlán del Valle
Visit Mitla, the Tule Tree, a Mezcal Distillery & Teotitlán del Valle
Oaxaca

the tule tree, distillery were highlights. The drive to the boiling waters was long and we did not bring swimsuits - please remind anyone that takes this tour. We opted out of the weaving and Mitla visit due to time constraints.

City Tour of the historical center of Guanajuato
City Tour of the historical center of Guanajuato
Mexico

we really enjoyed this tour and going to off the beaten track sights. Our guide even added a trip up teh funicular which was not planned. we had a really great lunch where he suggested adn great coffee to start,

Local specialist: Rene Rodarte