What's the best bet for overnighting in TJ?

Depends on what you're looking for. I can't speak for any other hotel but the Pueblo Amigo is a great 4-5 star one. It's only blocks from the border and a very short cab ride (at night) to the zona and such. It's in the Plaza Amigo so there's a Senor Frogs, Boleros (strip joint), a large betting center, other restaurants, and a large grocery/K-martish store. The hotel layout is similar to the Embassy Suites in that there's a large open center area with the rooms taking an L-shape going up 6 floors. They have regular rooms and suites. "Corporate rates" (worth it to print up your own business cards if you don't have any) run about $75 for a room and $95 for a suite. They have an indoor pool, a restaurant, and a betting center with bar. Security is visable but I've never had any problems with bringing girls back. No jacuzzis but the tubs are large enough that I fit in with a chica and I'm XXL.

US toll-free #: 1-800-386-6985. Ask for Ricardo the day manager. He speaks excellent English and will really take care of you.

Aardvark,

When was the last time you got the corporate rate of $75?

I was quoted $95 for corporate and $90 for AAA.

BTW, It is a great hotel.

Hotels Caesar and Nelson are good, cheap hotels on Revolucion. They both have their own unique history. Hotel Caesar invented the Caesar Salad (no lie) during prohibition and is a virtual bullfighting museum. The Nelson has the first elevator to ever be installed in TJ. You'll know when you ride in it.

I used to take girls to these hotels from the Revo clubs. It is OK with the hotels (double occupancy rate). Lately several posters have been arrested walking out of ho'ing hotels (not these hotels). You might combat this by telling the girl to come to your room alone in a few minutes and having her leave alone.

I dislike staying in the zona. It is a noisy smelly slum with crime and drugs as well as rampant tolerated prostitution. Some guys like to wallow in that though.

At the Pueblo Amigo I always stay in a suite and I pay $95 for that.

HollywoodMarine,

I paid about $75 three months ago. Actually, I think it was $78, but who's quibbling.

This was for the corporate rate on a standard room. (I gave them a business card) Based on the room descriptions, I'm not sure if I got a standard room or a suite. But, it was the exact same type of room that I've always had there. It's nice, large and has a very large bath.

Nice place.


StrikeEagle

I wasn't able to get them that low. I ended up paying the AAA rate of $90 last weekend.

If I get the oppurtunity to vist TJ again I will do like Aardvark advises and call Ricardo.

BTW, it's worth $90....I'm in SanJose\Mountainview at a very nice Hilton paying $140+ for room that's only a little better.

MMD

hmmmmm....

Aardvark describe your room....

Mine had a huge bath, small love seat, seperate desk and chair, and I think a king sized bed.

I was in room 219

MMD

I always try to stay in the *10 rooms (410, 510, etc.) with 610 being the best. They have an entry hallway/room and then a sitting area and then the bed area (yes, always a king-size bed). I'd venture to guess that all of the rooms have the same size bathtubs.

El Cabrio
That Rampant tolerated prostitution is a real bitch ain't it.Maybe someday they will do something about it so that people can enjoy the crime and drugs in peace

I stayed in Hotel Nelson about 9 months ago. The rate was $16 without TV. The rooms are fairly clean and had hot water. If you can get a room away from the street it is a little quieter. They only give you 2 towels per day and a couple of small bars of soap. The bed was kind of soft but I slept pretty good (after beers and a coupleshots of tequila).
They do not hassle you if you bring a chica back to your room which I have done a few times. It is usually sold out so it is a good idea to make a reservation. Be careful to repeat arrival dates because they use a napkin for there reservation book.

I stay at the Nelson regularly and have never gotten a room for $16. You are thinking about someplace else.

It is generally $35 to $40 (non-Sat vs. Sat) and they register you as 2 since the rate is the same for 1 or 2. All rooms have had TV and most had big fans. The Revo side is very noisy. You want to be on the fifth floor facing the zona.

EC

I was talking to a chick that works at Pueblo Amigo and she was saying the cheaper rates are through entertainment club, but she didnt know the name of the club. Anyone know what club she is talking about?

I got the corporate rate of $95 for their "suite" room. It was nice but there policy of $0.28 per minute for local phone use pissed me off so I went back to the Villa Z where local calls are either free or less than a buck. I do a couple of hours of email and internet use through a local access number.

El Cabrio,
you are correct, I meant the San Jorge and not Hotel Nelson. I paid $42 at the Hotel Nelson and the room was better. It wasn't any quieter though.

Bullitt,
She is talking about the Entertainment Card. They have an office somewhere close to Calabasas - but many places sell them. This year the card is Entertainment 2000. Two for one dinners and discounts on a lot of places and even up to 50% off on some hotels. When the PA was the Holiday Inn I use to be able to stay for $60 a night with my card.

This is the site for the entertainment card which provides huge discounts in terms of hotels, restaurants, etc. http://www.entertainment.com/index.cfm?dom=www.entertainment.com/

I have always been given a rate to $72.50 at Pueblo Amigo by using my Encore Travel Card. It is supposed to get you 50% off the rack room rate. When I tried to make a reservation for 11-23 thru 11-29 I was told that the $72.50 rate was no longer available and was quoted $85.00 for a delux room with safetly deposit box (this is what I always get). Because of the higher price and the fact that it gets dark about 4:30 p.m. that time of year, I have decided to move my base of operations to downtown. I prefer to walk as much as possible and don't like walking between P.A. and the zona at night. I am trying to decide between Villa de Zaragoza and Hotel America. My only requirements are, the room must be clean, quiet and chica friendly. Any recommendations will be greatly appreciated.

yo,

im thinking about staying in tj during new years. are the hotels usually booked up? never done tj for new years.
im thinking about renting three or four rooms for myself and some friends. thinking about nelson or cascadas.
also, are there alot of chicas working on new years?

cs

Avltourist,

It's been suggested to me by both the HA hotel staff, and a 'zona friend' of mine that the walk between la zona and HA is not all that safe.

Don't know about the walk to VZ, so I'll defer to someone who does.


SE

Avltourist

I stayed at Hotel America last June and it was not an experience I'm interested in repeating. We had a leaking roof in one of the rooms (it rained Sunday morning) and the stuff coming out of the ceiling looked unsavory to say the least. The water even flowed down the light bulb!! We relocated to another room to shower and that one had water that worked for a couple of minutes and then would stop - to return a couple of minutes later. When I went to the front desk with a water container of the roof runoff and spoke with the clerk about the water trouble they would not refund my room. Instead I have a "discount" waiting for me. I'm not sure it's worth going back at any price.

If I seem a little bitter - well I am. I wake up to water the color of piss pouring down onto the bed from all over the ceiling, I take a shower where the water was intermittent at best and the staff would not refund my money for a horrible experience. Yeah... bitter.

My only advice, if staying at the Hotel America, is go when the sky is clear.

One last note - liability laws are different down there then they are up here. All the walkways in front of the doors are covered in tile that is extremely slippery when water is present. I like to call it "lawsuit" slick.

Just my two cents (actually $42 bucks).

Regards,
Dr. Evil

I always stay at the VZ since I stopped going to the Pueblo Amigo (Holiday Inn then) about 5 years ago. My mongering needs overcame my gambling needs.

About ninety percent of the time I walk from the zona to VZ. Once I leave the zona I feel pretty safe walking from first street to seventh street either down Revolution, Madero, or Constitution. I walk all hours of the day, morning, and night and I have never had a problem. I know some people have had problems, but I think these areas are pretty safe once you get past first street.

Just east of Unicornio on 7th street west of Madero your only problem are the occasional TV's that stand around trying to hustle.

From the VZ to the zona there is usually a cab out in front of the office. I have gotten the fare as low as $3 with little effort depending on the time of day and how busy they are. My amiga taught me that and she also taught me to never give the cab driver a tip.

I have been staying at the Villa Z for a few years at MuleLip's recommendation. I recently stayed at the PA as well. I prefer the Villa Z for it's central location, proximity to Ricardo's restaurant and Revolution. The employees are great as well as the security

Can anyone recommend a hotel with a jacuzzi that's quite, nice and not too pricey ($50 - $65)and NOT in the zona norte. TIA.

Harry

Harry,

The only places that I am aware of are:

Leon - $80 and I don't care for the place
Hotel America - $125 and it's more of a large tub than a jacuzzi
Real del Rio - Close to $200, but rather nice.

I am sure there are higher end places.

Thanks for the response Gitano. Looks like I have some researching to do. My amiga's b-day is coming up and it'd be nice to do it in a jacuzzi.

Harry

Real del Rio priced themselves out of MY budget when they passed $150 a night for the Jacuzzi suites. They are very nice, and maybe worth it for a special occasion. They do have a great little bar just off the lobby, open till 12PM. It is nice dark wood, soft music, good but non intrusive service - and normal prices. The food across the lobby is OK.

The best bang for the buck, IMHO, is one of the "love motels" on the road out of town. Los Pinos and El Parador both have Jacuzzi suites in the $60-70 range. I have heard that on weekend nights sometimes the rooms are not rented for the full night, but I have never personally encountered that.

The only drawback is the distance from town - a $10-12 taxi ride from La Zona.

I don't rent the jucuzzi room, but for $65 the regular rooms at Real del Rio are a good deal for me. Its just $10-15 more than a decent room at Villa Zaragosa, but much nicer and in a better neighborhood.