Downtown location close to the Malecon and the beach
Roof garden terrace with a restaurant, a tiny outdoor pool, and views over Old Town and the church
Rooms and suites have flat-screen TVs, iPod docks, and coffeemakers
Free local calls
Small fitness center with cardio equipment and free weights
Breakfast included in rates and is served in the rooftop restaurant
Free Wi-Fi throughout and two computers for guests' use
Hotel can get noisy in the evenings
Limited parking
Some signs of wear of tear, such as cracked tiles in the showers
The mid-range 31 room Hotel Porto Allegro, housed in what was once an office building, is a reasonably priced downtown hotel within a 10-minute walk of the Malecon and the beach. It has a small gym and outdoor mini-pool, and a rooftop restaurant with views of Old Town and the Parraquia de Nuestra Senora de Guadeloupe, the main church, but its busy location, while convenient, means noise. Travelers could check out the Holiday Inn Express or Comfort Inn, both of which have full-size pools, and are in quieter locations closer to the airport.
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Scene
A remodeled Old Town office building converted into a hotel
Operating as a hotel since 2014, the Porto Allegro sits in the heart of Old Town near the Malecon and the beach. The rooftop terrace and restaurant, with views over downtown and the Malecon, are especially pleasant in the late afternoon and evening. There's also a tiny rooftop pool.The exterior, with its glass doors, hasn't shed its office ambience. The lobby has a polished granite check-in desk, dark-wood paneling and beams, ceramic-tile floors, and brick walls. There's a mounted flat-screen TV and black leather couch where guests can sit. The hotel draws a range of tourists, including couples, families, friends traveling together, and solo travelers.
Location
On the edge of the Cuale River, about 10 minutes to the Malecon
The Porto Allegro is about a 10-minute walk to Parroauia de Nuestra Senora de Guadeloupe, the main cathedral, and to the ocean and Malecon; there are dozens of restaurants, bars, and sights nearby. The Museo del Cuale, with its fine collection of pre-Hispanic ceramics, and the Monumento El Caballito, are about a five-minute walk from the hotel. Traffic can a nightmare around the hotel, with one-way streets that aren’t always clearly marked. Streets are extremely narrow and can be difficult to navigate given the large numbers of haphazardly parked cars. This is city that is best explored on foot. Licenciado Gustavo Diaz Ordaz Airport is about a 25-minute drive from the hotel.
Rooms
Modern rooms with AC, flat-screen TVs, iPod docks, and coffeemakers
Hotel Porto Allegro's 31 rooms include three Suites. All units are traditionally styled, with generic cream-colored ceramic tile floors and dark-wood furniture. Beds are either single kings or two doubles. All rooms are air-conditioned, and come with flat-screen TVs, iPod docks, coffeemakers, water, and free Wi-Fi.Some rooms face inward and are dark, while others have views of the street but can be noisier. Windows are not well soundproofed, and street noise can range from music to conversations to garbage trucks to the sound of people stumbling home near dawn. Upper-story rooms have the best views, and some look out over the cathedral. Rooms on the fourth floor, though, can get noise from the restaurant. Bathrooms have marble floors and walls, with showers enclosed in glass that's intended to keep the water from flowing onto the floor -- they are not that stable. Attractive basin sinks are mounted on wood and glass countertops. Hairdryers and toiletries are provided.
Features
Breakfast on rooftop, mini-pool, workout room, and computers
The rooftop restaurant opens for breakfast (included in rates) every morning, and guests can opt to sit either inside or outside on the surrounding balconies. There’s also a tiny pool. Even when the restaurant is closed, guests can hang out on the terrace.The fitness room, which is off the lobby, is tiny, with a few cardio machines and free weights. There are also two public computers for guests' use. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property.
