In a place bursting with authenticity, reality and beauty of everyday life, Hotel Criol sits as a contrast to its surroundings. It isn't traditional and in most ways, quite nice looking. The photos online are accurate. The location is amazing. The design of wood planks, stone and plenty of greenery is well thought through. The service was actually quite good, with an efficient checkin and kind people.
Here are the key reasons why I wouldn't be able to return to Hotel Criol. The bedding is extremely uncomfortable, from sheets to mattress to the pillows. The pillows are all synthetic and there is no substitute available. I called the property ahead of booking to confirm there would be feather or down pillows, it was confirmed there would be in English and in Spanish, but none to be found even after discussing with front desk. For a hotel that isn't a hole in the wall and one of the most expensive options in Queretaro, that's just unacceptable. Getting a good night's sleep is the foundation of any hotel experience and all other things start to get overshadowed by that.
The other thing that I've found quite unpleasant is the terrible smell that was present every day in all common areas, from courtyards to the pool. Not sure if it's garbage, chemicals, repellents or something else, but it was a large detractor.
The room is nicely designed, with a slick sink, an excellent shower and of average size. It is pretty annoying that there is no central air conditioning and the air conditioner is quite noisy at night, making a lot of cracking and dripping noises when it works. There were plenty of contrasts. A beautiful library, yet a filthy dirty pool.
Although design and service were excellent, this is not a property I'd return to. Foundational issue is the lack of comfort, composed of underlying problems. It's a 3 star hotel as a whole in hotel stars. read more