 | Flytrippers cofounder |
Guadalajara, Mexico, is a very underrated destination that I enjoyed visiting 3 times. I tried 6 different accommodations, including 4 Marriott Bonvoy hotels, all of which can be great options. I wanted to share more about my experiences to add to my content about my Guadalajara trips.
Guadalajara is a huge city, so there is obviously a wide range of lodging options to suit all tastes. But if you’re among the savvy travelers who include the Marriott Bonvoy program in their travel rewards strategy, the city is a decent destination (like many parts of Mexico; the better less-touristy authentic parts).
You can check out why I love Guadalajara and some logistical tips. Flytrippers helps you travel for less with our 3 types of content, namely flight deals, travel rewards, and tips/inspiration/news.
Here are the details of my accommodations in Guadalajara.
Casa Habita, Guadalajara, a Member of Design Hotels (Marriott)
My favorite hotel by far was Casa Habita, Guadalajara, a Member of Design Hotels. This very original boutique hotel has a great location in the hip Colonia Americana neighborhood, and it was superb.
I love collection brand hotels like this. Design Hotels are design-focused properties, as the name implies.
Among Marriott’s 40+ different brands, this was actually one of the very few I hadn’t been to yet. I very much enjoyed this first experience.
I stayed just 1 night; I try to keep my Marriott Bonvoy free night certificates for trips with my girlfriend.
Casa Habita, Guadalajara can be a really good certificate redemption; that’s what I did since the price was exactly 35,000 points or 345 USD.
You can read my detailed review of Casa Habita, Guadalajara, a Member of Design Hotels.
The Westin Guadalajara (Marriott)
Another great hotel was The Westin Guadalajara, an upscale property located near the convention center. The experience was very nice, with great service as well.
I love the Westin brand and its wellness focus that makes it feel a bit less like the business hotel it often is in urban areas.
This was a modern Westin with nice rooms, a great gym, and a very good free breakfast for those with Marriott Bonvoy elite status.
I stayed 5 nights during my 1st trip; I didn’t actually choose the hotel, but I was happy with the choice.
The Westin Guadalajara can be an excellent option if you want to splurge a bit. The price is around 20,000 points or 175 USD. I didn’t have to pay for it; I’m used to free nights thanks to Marriott Bonvoy, but free sponsored hotels like this are rarer.
AC Hotel Guadalajara Expo, Mexico (Marriott)
A more affordable option is the AC Hotel Guadalajara Expo, Mexico. It’s quite nice, but slightly further away (although with how cheap Ubers are in Guadalajara… it’s not that bad).
The AC Hotel brand is usually a solid midscale option, and this one was no exception, even if it seemed a tiny bit more dated than most of the 10+ AC Hotels I’ve stayed at. The building was a pretty unique round tower.
The room was great, and it can be a better option than the following hotel (at least until that one’s renovations are done).
I stayed 3 nights during my 1st trip; I didn’t return mainly because the next hotel had a better location (and gave me a great free upgrade the 1st time).
The AC Hotel Guadalajara Expo, Mexico was great to maximize the amount of free nights with my Marriott points. It cost me only 8,500 points per night.
Hotel Guadalajara Country Club by HNF (Marriott)
The other more affordable Marriott redemption I tried was Hotel Guadalajara Country Club by HNF. It had a slightly better location. Now, about the name. First, the hotel is not a country club: it’s located in a cool and modern local neighborhood called Country Club.
Second, the brand name is missing. Indeed, it’s not any of Marriott’s 40+ brands; it’s actually a former Aloft hotel that is currently undergoing renovations and operating under a temporary name (it still is 2 years later…).
Despite that, it was very nice. Especially since I got a tremendous free suite upgrade thanks to my Marriott Bonvoy elite status (Titanium). But the hotel’s common areas were undergoing major work, so it wasn’t for everyone at that time.
I stayed 7 nights (2 during my 1st trip and 5 during my 2nd trip); I was hoping to get another suite upgrade the 2nd time, but was disappointed.
Hotel Guadalajara Country Club by HNF can be a great points redemption; it cost me only 10,000 points per night.
Hotel Morales
The only non-Marriott hotel I tried was Hotel Morales. The independent boutique hotel is very well located directly in the city center, which is obviously a huge perk.
The style was very typically Mexican, so that was cool. The exterior and interior common areas looked amazing.
But the room style was quite classic and old, which is not what I prefer. If you don’t care about that, it can be a great option.
I stayed just 1 night during my 3rd visit; I arrived in town late so I just wanted a cheap place to sleep.
Hotel Morales was affordable. It cost me 60 USD.
Leveli Coliving & Hostel Guadalajara
The only ostel I tried was Leveli Coliving & Hostel Guadalajara. As is often the case with hostels, the location was great and a huge part of the appeal: it’s located on the border between the cool Colonia Americana neighborhood and the city center.
It was very basic, though. It really wasn’t one of my all-time favorite hostels at all.
There wasn’t really a social atmosphere in the common areas, at least the day I was there. The mattress was not great.
I stayed just 1 night on my 3rd visit; I had my 4 PM late check-out (one of the best benefits of Marriott Bonvoy elite status) before heading to the hostel and was flying out the next day anyway.
Leveli Coliving & Hostel Guadalajara was obviously extremely affordable, at 179 MXN.
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Summary
I tried 6 different accommodation options on my 3 trips to Guadalajara, Mexico. The 4 different Marriott Bonvoy hotels were my favorites, especially since I got them all for free by redeeming points and a free night certificate (and another was sponsored due to having a travel website).
What would you like to know about my accommodations in Guadalajara? Tell us in the comments below.
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Featured image: Casa Habita, Guadalajara and The Westin Guadalajara (photo credit: Andrew D’Amours/Flytrippers)
