We stayed at the Holiday Inn Zona Rosa during a recent visit to Mexico City. We booked 2 junior suites for 3 nights through the Holiday Inn website. Holiday Inn confirmed a 14 day advance purchase (non refundable) nightly rate of $90 US, plus tax for each room, based on 4 people in 2 rooms.

The hotel is in a good location, on a relatively quiet street, just on the edge of Zona Rosa. The hotel appearance and general amenities are what we usually expect from a Holiday Inn although, in this case, somewhat worn and dated.

The front desk service was poor and at times both understaffed and chaotic. We found it difficult to impossible to communicate in English, often depending on a Bellman for translation.

The air conditioner did not work in one of the two rooms we were given. The next day we requested a repair. When we arrived at our room that evening there was still no air conditioning. The room did not have screens on the windows. When we opened a window for air, we were swarmed with mosquitoes throughout the night. The next day we requested a change of rooms and did have a decent rest on the third night.

When we checked out we discovered that our credit card had been charged a room rate that was more than 30% higher than the rate Holiday Inn had confirmed. We were unable to communicate effectively with the front desk in English, and left with the matter unresolved.

Since then we have had four separate communications with Holiday Inn Reservations and Guest Relations over a period of 2 weeks. So far the hotel has not honoured the confirmed reservation and Holidy Inn has been ineffective in dealing with our concerns. There are numerous hotel choices in Zona Rosa, and we will never stay in this hotel again. We would also caution travelers using the Holiday Inn reservation system. It does not appear they are able to back up their promise of 'Reserve with Confidence' .

Nothing wrong with the place- your typical Holiday Inn with a nice Mexican feel. Stayed one night and had constant issues with front desk staff: left hand does not know what right hand is doing from processing pre-paid reservations to arranging airport taxis. The latter seems to be a common front desk operational issue judging by the facial expression from senior management who asked how things were going.

This past June, my wife and I with another couple stayed at the Holiday Inn in Zona Rosa. I was a little worried given that my only other experiences with Holiday Inn were comprised of nights stayed when I was a kid. This place was updated, stylish and centrally located. Our nights were comfortable with a sitting area that gave the four of us a chance to debrief the day's events. The staff were incredibly helpful and considerate. The food at the restaurant found within was a bit overpriced but that should be expected from a hotel dining area. Overall, we really enjoyed ourselves and if traveling to the city again, would not hesitate to stay there again.

Drop your notion of tacky Holiday Inns. This place is classy. The colonial-modern design is a delight to the eye, and during my stay, there were various local artists works featured throughout the hotel. Magnificent sculptures and intriguing mixed media works festooned the walls of a place that managed to be both classic and modern at the same time. The wooden doors to the hotel are 20 feet high and must weigh a ton each and give an immediate sense of history and security as well as beauty. The hotel was tastefully decorated for Christmas using pointsettias and subdued holiday adornments. The staff at the hotel match the sophistication, eclecticism and beauty of the building itself. They are friendly, diverse, and painstakingly caring about their guests. Minutes after they showed me my room which was large and beautiful and had a view of the fountained courtyard, they called to offer me another room since there was a party booked in the restaurant for the evening and they were very concerned that I would be disturbed. I elected to keep the room since I liked it so much, and I could sleep through a trainwreck if need be. The party ended earlier than they expected and the noise that came from it was minimal. Caudia and Vincent (sp?) were especially helpful throughout my stay. I had room service at the hotel a few times. The breakfasts were very good. The menu, however, lacked snack-hors d'oevre items which was a problem since the magnificent room inspired me to entertain fellow travelers. I ordered cookies and coffee for one guest and the cookies weren't very good. The coffee could take a lesson from Starbucks as well. The shower was large, marble, beautiful and powerful. The bed was large with lots of pillows and firm yet comfortable. The internet service was included at no additional charge. I would not hesitate to stay here again. I also enjoyed being only a few blocks away from the clubs and fun in the Zona Rosa. This was my first trip to Mexico City and I was surprised and delighted at every turn. The people in the city are warm and genteel. I always felt respected and validated and never once felt mistrustful or threatened by anything. The city is wondrous and second to the living-breathing descendants of its rich history are the cultural venues wanting exploration. My only regret is that I only had 3 days. I can't wait to return.