Hotel Portales

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. You are in the south of the city, on the Calzada de Tlalpan or División del Norte corridor. What is useful here is the connection: Metro line 2 runs down Tlalpan to Taxqueña, where the southern coach terminal and the Tren Ligero to Xochimilco both are. Coyoacán is a few minutes away.

What you have to accept. These are heavy-traffic avenues and the immediate surroundings are residential or commercial, not touristic. The centre is some 30 to 40 minutes by Metro. Ask for a room away from the avenue: Tlalpan never stops moving, not even at night.

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.