La Casa del Tio

Excellent if you don't need comfort

I stayed at Casa del Tio for the three weeks I was in Guanajuato. I picked it because it had the cheapest prices online and had relatively good reviews. When I arrived, none of the staff spoke English and as I was in Gto to study Spanish for the first time, check in was a bit difficult. The advertised dorm rate was 130 pesos/night, but since I was staying an extended period, I was able to talk them down to 100 pesos/night. At this price, I really couldn't complain about the lack of comfort or ammenities...although I sure did. The bed was like sleeping on a slab of granite and the pillow felt like it was stuffed with flour. They did provide me with extra quilts since it was getting cold at night and the hostal didn't have central air or heat. The kitchen was quite laughable, there was no fridge and all cooking supplies had to be borrowed from the kitchen downstairs. They did sell beer for 15 pesos and had a pretty sweet rooftop deck with an absolutely breathtaking view of the city. The wi-fi that they advertised was non existent and the washer/dryer was not for guest use. The sushi restaurant that is part of the hostal was the only food on my trip that caused me to be violently ill, and the week I was leaving there was a sign up saying it was permanently closed.

So, all in all, if you want a truly bottom-line price and just need a place to lay your head at night (on rock) then this is the right place. If you desire any comfort whatsoever, I would recommend Estacion de Esperanza or Casa Bertha, which my friends stayed and said they truly enjoyed their experience.

Unique Quality: truly amazing rooftop view, very central to everything. 1 minute walk to the Jardin and about 10 minutes from Mercado Hidalgo.