Mirador del Frayle

“Beautiful city view!”

Lovely hotel! I can't say enough about the wonderful staff! The rooms are spacious and nicely appointed. The beds are quite firm yet tolerable. Warning: it does get quite cold in the room if you go during the winter. There is no heater, but they do have blankets. Take the time to take in the vie... more

Lovely hotel! I can't say enough about the wonderful staff! The rooms are spacious and nicely appointed. The beds are quite firm yet tolerable. Warning: it does get quite cold in the room if you go during the winter. There is no heater, but they do have blankets. Take the time to take in the view at night!

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“High on a Hill, Maybe Too High”

I write this review as a pleased guest (the price was excellent) and give the hotel 4-stars. Had I paid more, then it would have been 3-stars. I got more than I paid for, but there are two major considerations that would keep my review from being 5-stars regardless of the price. Those issues are ... more

I write this review as a pleased guest (the price was excellent) and give the hotel 4-stars. Had I paid more, then it would have been 3-stars. I got more than I paid for, but there are two major considerations that would keep my review from being 5-stars regardless of the price. Those issues are the distance from San Miguel de Allende’s historic center and the rather steep climb/descent due to the hill on which the hotel is situated. Of course, the hotel does have a beautiful view of the city, and cab service is available for a reasonable fee. So, let me list some minor annoying aspects of the hotel and my room that played zero part in my rating as the price was so attractive. Once again, I discounted these small inconveniences, and I am writing them more for the hotel management's attention and improvement as well as info for the reader: 1. The lock on the room door was of the lower-end residential type, with an inside push-button locking mechanism. This is the lowest-end and least secure lock you can buy. 2. There was no inside safety latch or swing-ball/slide-chain to secure the door in case the door lock failed. 3. There only one window and it has shutters (two shutters that swing like a barroom door). The shutters only opened inward and are secured by two separate round metal rods that, once removed (in order to open the shutters), you must keep track of and then re-insert through holes in metal small metal L-brackets fastened to each shutter. There is a pair (one on each shutter) on top and a second pair on the bottom; hence the two metal rods. It sounds easy enough, but the holes are slightly misaligned, and the rods are a tight fit. It takes a while and the nuisance of keeping track of the two metal rods. 4. Once the shutters are open, there is no glass or screen but only metal iron bars to secure the window. Bugs!!! Luckily, I was staying in a dry time of the year, and the hotel is located on top of a high hill, so only a few bugs, mosquitoes, etc. But come the rainy season (starting in May), it could be quite a different story. 5. The room was too dark as two of the three bulbs in the main overhead lighting fixture were out. 6. One of the two lamps on the bedside tables was broken. The light bulb fixture was loose and had fallen sideways, but the bulb was working. 7. The beds were too hard. 8. There was no place to hang your towel in the bathroom. 9. One of two standing lamps was making a loud knocking sound. 10. The hotel's advertised restaurant is a small single room and was closed during my stay. 11. There was no AC or heating, but San Miguel is at an elevation of over 7,000 feet, and the nights were pleasant. For the positive points of the hotel: 1. Staff is friendly. 2. The hotel is clean, about 20-years old, and the structure is in good repair. 3. The grounds are in good shape and attractive. 4. The view of the city was very nice as the hotel is on a high hill. Overall, I would not stay here again due to the distance from the historic center (about 20 minutes) and the climb/descent, but if you want to save money and get a decent room… and in good shape, then this might just be the hotel for you.

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