Hostal de María

5 Emily Napear - 3 years ago

Great hostal! The free breakfast is eggs, yogurt, bread, cereal, etc. which is super good. The bathrooms and bedrooms were clean and well kept. They give free soap, locks(for lockers),towels, sheets, and so forth. You have to buzz and be let in, they have 24/7 security which is nice. They also have a really nice general patio for people to hang out in, drink, and talk.

5 Sian Edwards - 4 years ago

Such a great hostel - very clean, peaceful, affordable, homely and convenient. Great to discover all the historical downtown area. Staff (Art, Toni u0026 another guy who i cant remember his name) were very helpful and kind with me. Opposite the hostel there is a really great cantina that hosts live bands on weekends. Highly recommend staying here, I will definitely stay here again when returning to the city.

4 Ruben Arredondo - 4 years ago

This is a great Hostel somewhat big enough for up to 20 people groups. A lot of history this place has. We love to visit when our friends from BSSM come to visit the local Church's in Guadalajara. It is quiet and peaceful. Management can improve the bathrooms areas. It is a little bit smelly.

5 Ryan Soule - 6 years ago

Have stayed for a month here and loved it, it's close to the center (the cathedral and stuff) and during the day you can go eat in 9 corners which is a plaza nearby and during the night head over to La Occidental for a quiet drink.

As a digital nomad I found the internet acceptable, it's not the greatest in the world but you're in Mexico so it could be much much worse.

The staff are brilliant and will help you with whatever you need, and the rooms in my opinion for what you receive are well priced. It's very clean and the court yard is a really tranquil place to hang out in and get some work done, read a book or relax with a beer at the end of the day.

5 Peter Selk - 5 years ago

We have stayed here three times. It is our favourite place to stay in Guadalajara, which in turn is our favourite place in Mexico.

It is mainly a youth hostel, with dormitory accommodations. But at the rear, where the shared kitchen and eating area is, there are two upstairs private rooms. They are cramped but comfortable, just enough space for your luggage and a double bed. We are a couple of senior citizens, so we always go for one of the private rooms.

The location is superb. The neighborhood, known as las nueve esquinas, the nine corners, is home to several restaurants featuring birria, Guadalajara's famous and delicious goat meat stew. And the centro historico is only a five to ten minute walk from the hostel.

The staff are friendly and helpful. If you are driving your own car, as we were, you can park it for free in the plazuela in front of the hostel.

Highly recommended.

5 Tian S - 5 years ago

I had a wonderful 9-week stay at this lovely hosel while studying Spanish in Guadalajara this fall. I had since traveled to other parts of Mexico and stayed at various places but Hostel de Maria remains my favourite because of the people there. Claudia, the owner, leads a team of people who all take great pride in their work. The front desk is manned by Tony, Teres, Miguel and Vivi. We had good conversations and became friends. They asked me about my day, shared fascinating stories about their country, showed me around the city, and even helped me with my homework! Rosie and Lupe always do a great job keeping the place cleaning and tidy. I’m truly impressed by everyone’s work ethics.

Claudia puts a lot of thoughts into bringing guests an authentic experience of Mexican culture. Sinks and fountain in the backyard are decorated with azulejo tiles. Equipal chairs in common areas. Glassware and ornaments in the hallway and kitchen are also typical Mexican but I don’t know their names. Papel picado (Mexican papercut banners) of green, red and white were put up for Independence Day celebration. Claudia’s daughter Maria (Yes, the hostel was named after her!) came in to build an alter of Frida Kahlo and brought in cempasuchil flowers for El Dia De Los Muertos. Mexican candies: cocadas, Pulparin dots (spiced tamarind treats), sugar skull, and cajeta lollipops were offered to guests for different occasions. All these have enhanced my understanding of this country and its people.

All of my needs were attended to in a timely manner. I won’t go into detail as I can easily write another paragraph.

This place is well managed like an HI-network hostel while having a lot of personal touches. It’s small enough that any issue can be addressed immediately. Claudia is personally involved in making sure everything in great condition. For example, she came in on busy weekends to do additional cleaning in the afternoons/ evenings to ensure the bathrooms are always clean.

My review focuses on the people and things are might be hard to notice to short-stay guests. Other advantages of this hostel such as location and facility are very apparent to anyone who's been here and have been reviewed by others.

My stay in Guadalajara wouldn't have been so memorable without these lovely people at the hostel. I hope to return one day to see them again.

5 Rachel Wakelin - 3 years ago

Loved it here! The staff are amazing. Friendly and super helpful. The hostel is super clean. If I return to Guadalajara I will be staying here again.