Lonely Planet Review

Once a hospice for pilgrims of the Augustinian order, this Best Western property has a long history of sheltering travelers, with rooms encircling a lovely late-18th century patio. If you don't mind the price tag, staying here will give you a genuine taste of colonial Mexico.

Baroque stonework crowns the entryway amid an imposing tezontle façade; the little guy in the niche overhead is Santo Tomás de Villanueva, patron of the needy. Beyond this threshold, the courtyard is a real haven from a busy section of town. A buffet breakfast is served there, with tables around a stone fountain and seating on Jalisco-style leather chairs. Sparely appointed standard rooms feature colonial furniture, cast-iron light fixtures and attractively tiled bathrooms, letting you play the role of the Spanish hidalgo. Recently renovated 'Virreinal Rooms' occupy the lower level, and they're a good deal larger and better lit. A few suites have windows facing the Alameda. Despite the hotel's obvious charms, though, rates seem exaggerated for the quality of the facilities.