Hotel Ermita

What to expect from a two-star hotel. A simple room with a private bathroom, a television and little else. Hot water and daily cleaning are usual; breakfast, a lift or air conditioning rarely are. This is the low-price category that solves accommodation without pretension.

Where the location puts you. Tacubaya is one of the most important transport nodes in the city: Metro lines 1, 7 and 9 cross here, which puts almost anywhere within a single change. Chapultepec and the Condesa are a few minutes away, and buses to Santa Fe and Toluca leave from here.

What you have to accept. This is a transit zone, heavily trafficked and noisy, not a neighbourhood for strolling. As accommodation it works for the connections, not for the surroundings; at night, take a taxi.

What to confirm before booking. Whether they take cards or cash only, whether the room faces the avenue — noise is the most frequent complaint in this category — whether there is parking, and what the deposit policy is. It is worth asking to see the room before you pay: that is normal here and nobody takes offence.

What applies to any hotel in Mexico City. The city sits above 2,200 metres: on the first day, go easy on alcohol and exertion. Tap water is not drunk here; every hotel provides bottled or purified water. And keep the exact address written down, borough included: colonia names repeat across the city, and taxi drivers will thank you.