Hostal "El Rincon de Jesusita" - Durango, Mexico - 2/2-2/6
Last night, Tuesday 2/4, I got a discount by booking through Agoda.com. Total price for the room was 280 pesos ($15.03 U.S.).
COST:
- Most nights this place cost me 400 pesos ($21.50) and this last night I found it online for 280 pesos ($15.00).
VALUE:
Value would be 4.5 out of 5 stars.
OVERALL/AMENITIES:
I would rate this hotel a total of 4.3 out of 5 stars.
(see below for what I liked and didn’t like)
This is the hostel from the corner as you approach on 5 de Febrero, a one way street. Looks a little down on it’s luck initially from this angle.
From the street it seems that I’m in the wrong place as only “Hotel Gallo” is advertised at the entrance. The hostel is advertised on the outside, upper corner of the building. I almost couldn’t find this place. What’s up with this guy’s freakin face anyway. Can I not take a picture of my hostel?! Fuck outta here with your face.
ARRIVAL:
I arrived at the El Rincon de Jesusita hostal (hostel) in Durango, Mexico on Sunday 2/2. I was only planning on staying a night or two at most but once again I stayed longer than expected. I’ll be leaving tomorrow on Thursday 2/6.
Upon arrival I met a gentleman that insisted I park my bike inside the lobby. I still don’t know who he is and haven’t seen him since but he escorted me into the lobby as I rode my bike in, him moving furniture as I progressed. This hostel gets extra points for allowing me to park inside.
Entering the lobby. Now it goes from sketchy outside appearance to quite sunny and attractive inside.
The hostel is located on the second floor above a different hotel. Strange that these two separate places occupy the same building and the same common lobby. From the outside the building appears to be sort of aged and run down a little. There’s some graffiti on the outside a little. But once you enter through the secure, steel front doors which remain open until 1 AM, the lobby opens up to a two-story, sunlit, white stucco and tile floored space. It feels very welcoming and inviting once you are inside.
Once inside lobby, looking back to where my bike is parked and looking up towards the hostel.
Motorcycle was parked straight back in the main lobby downstairs, off to the left in a little alcove. The woman running the desk downstairs for that hotel didn’t look too pleased when I rode it inside. In retrospect, I should have shut the motor off and walked the bike inside. Maybe that was it. It feels very secure inside here.
Up a flight of steps with a landing and you come into my hostel. The ceiling is about 10 feet high with exposed and unfinished wood beams. Floor is black and white tile and the administration desk is just off the the left at the top of the stairs. It is decorated with interspersed, large palm plants and ferns mounted on the columns. The stairwell is open to see directly downstairs and the ceiling over the stairs, which seems to make up a majority of the roofing up here is clear glass. Over to the end of the hallway is a common room with a couch and love seat, large flat screen tv and a kitchenette with microwave, etc. Overall, this place feels warm, bright and inviting.
MY ROOM:
My room #5 consists of a set of windows that open up to the inside, directly into the common hallway and a steel door to the right with frosted window panes. Windows lock with latches from inside and door is opened with a key. Once inside is a queen side bed with two small side tables mounted to the wall. To the left is a small, basic wood desk about a foot wide pushed up against the left wall. There is a small closet against the back wall to the right containing a shelf with a heavy blanket for the cold and a plug in fan for the heat. There is not climate control by thermostat in this room. There is a small bathroom straight back on the back wall to the left consisting of a small sink (that barely leaks water), a working toilet and a stand up shower (with limited hours of hot water). Hot water is supposed to be from 8-10 PM and 8-10 AM but on two different days I tried to take a hot shower at about 9:15-9:30 and only got cold water. So, cold shower it was. Points deducted for this.
WHAT I LIKED AND DIDN’T LIKE:
I like the location of this place. It is near the center plaza, about 6 blocks away. I’m near the local Mercado Gomez which I enjoy. I like the price (under or about $20). I like that everyone here is friendly, including staff. I like that I can park in the lobby. I love Durango.
What I didn’t like was the hot water situation. I tried to take a hot shower within the hours posted for hot showers and only got cold water. Not a huge deal as I just washed with cold water and a washcloth. The room doesn’t have a tv but I don’t really care about this. The wifi has been trying at times with it kicking me off while I’m working on something. Overall, wifi hasn’t been terrible but not great either.
I would definitely recommend this hostel as a cheap, near downtown option. Bonus inside moto parking.