Finally gonna travel... tips?

[unicorn]

Well, did you realize that Mala Vecindad means "bad neighborhood" in English? 😉 The neighborhood is indeed a tad spicy, and you'll need to take the metro to the Zona Rosa unless you want a long walk. It goes for $20=$30 a night. I don't think it has A/C, but those who stay there seem to be happy enough. Its reviews are generally positive on Tripadvisor.com:

"I love the concept of making something mexican and modern at the same time. I love the place, the decor, the blankets, everything is very hipster and at the same time very mexican. The breakfast is gooood and plenty, not like the regular artificial eggs and apple in plastifoam that you find in hotels of this price. The street is not elegant but you are literally 50 mts from Metro Revolucion, half a block from the metrobus and 3 blocks from Monumento a la Revolución. Ah, and 20 minutes walking distance to the Zocalo. I found some comments in Booking of people complaining about the location, and yes is a tough"barrio" but nobody bothers you directly. If you want to try the real Mexico (not the tourist version of Condesa and Polanco) you can go to Caldos de Pollo (big plates of Chicken soup around the corner of the Hotel) and the Cantina about 30 mts (the food is ok, the drinks are good and cheap, and you have a jukebox to put some music, is the real deal with working people and bureacrats getting out of the job). The hotel has Great value for your money. Want to pay more for nothing go to Condesa. Want to get a real taste of the country, stay here...".

Well, if you take a taxi from the airport, the taxi driver will probably get a chuckle when you tell him you want to go to the Mala Vecindad! 😄 Oh, barrio is another word for neighborhood (essentially synonymous with vecindad).

[JKane]

Everything about that sounds awesome so far!  Real taste of the country.

 

Ok, so any other things to beware of?  Lyft/Uber work there?  Best ways to find guys, how would mileroticos compare to Grindr?  

[floridarob]

1 hour ago, unicorn said:

I stayed at the Hilton Mexico City Reforma,

Did you bring anyone back to the room...that hotel has some strict security, mostly because the park in front is a huge gay hustler area, not usually the type you can trust later in the day.


 

 

1 hour ago, JKane said:

Flight out connecting through DFW, first then business, flight back is direct, business.

These flights don't offer anything great for first/business.... not like going to Asia/Europe.....I would look for price and spend the saved money on guys or hotel.


 

 

1 hour ago, JKane said:

Some negative mentions of the neighborhood

That neighborhood, if I was looking to move to Mexico City is where I'd look to buy a place. Seems like is a changing area, used to be lots of motels by the hour for casual hookups, not sure how it's progressing but this comes from several friends that live in CDMX.


From the reviews and pics, don't think I'd pick that hotel....I've stayed at Hampton inn Centro Histórico and never had problems bringing guys to my room, discretely. 

[unicorn]

19 minutes ago, floridarob said:

...These flights don't offer anything great for first/business.... not like going to Asia/Europe.....I would look for price and spend the saved money on guys or hotel... 

I guessed that maybe the reason he saved all of his money for the premium cabin might be that it's uncomfortable for the OP to sit in a main cabin seat. If that's not the case, I most certainly agree that I'd save the $$ for the hotel. If legroom is the issue, many American Airlines "Main Cabin Extra" seats (i.e. the exit rows) have even more legroom that some 1st class seats, and it costs only a bit more for non-premium customers to buy those seats, compared to a first-class upgrade. If seat width is the issue, though, then 1st class always wins out. 

If he needs to have a place to bring men in for sex, he could buy a room at one of those "motel by the hour" places you mentioned (I'm sure the escorts know where to find such places). I once picked up a man at the beach in Acapulco (many years ago, when it was safe), and the Hilton would not let him through. We had to find a sex motel to do the deed. If one intends to bring a guest into the room in Mexico, one should always ask about their policies before-hand. Some places will allow the visitor if said visitor will leave his government-issued ID (i.e. citizenship card) at the front desk, to be collected on his way out. 

[Mavica]

5 hours ago, JKane said:

Mexico City seems the easy choice but I was just listening to a story about how horrible the water situation is there (that it's undrinkable was a given, that it's often unavailable except to the rich with cisterns was new... and that they can't maintain pressure, guess it's good nobody tries to drink it!) is a small reservation (of course with enough digging you can find a negative about anywhere). 

Don't believe everything you hear or read.  If you visit Mexico City you will have enough water to drink (bottled, just like the locals), and shower with.  No widespread shortages .. for anyone.  Periodic reductions in the dry season, yes.  But trucks bring water into the hotels, apartments and restaurants.  You'll need some ability to speak / understand Spanish, though.  I've lived in the city, and I travel there once or twice yearly ... including March this year.  Is it the right stop for you?  I don't know. It's an incredible city, though.

[unicorn]

This hotel specifically caters to gay clients, is in the Zona Rosa, and it goes for just $351 for 5 nights including a full buffet American breakfast. I would strongly recommend this over the bad neighborhood hotel. It also has AC and 4*, unlike the other hteol. For any hotel, I would e-mail them prior to ask what their policy is on guests.

https://www.booking.com/hotel/mx/plaza-florencia.html?aid=356980&label=gog235jc-1DCAsooAFCD3BsYXphLWZsb3JlbmNpYUgzWANoiQKIAQGYATG4ARfIAQzYAQPoAQH4AQKIAgGoAgO4ArqniLEGwAIB0gIkYzRkOTNjZjctODJmZC00Y2UyLTkzNDItMWEzNTBiY2Q2NjNk2AIE4AIB&sid=d92961fe114ebf7e8cf1d89b05fe9bbd&all_sr_blocks=18583302_238804586_2_2_0;checkin=2024-05-12;checkout=2024-05-17;dest_id=-1658079;dest_type=city;dist=0;group_adults=1;group_children=0;hapos=1;highlighted_blocks=18583302_238804586_2_2_0;hpos=1;matching_block_id=18583302_238804586_2_2_0;no_rooms=1;req_adults=1;req_children=0;room1=A;sb_price_type=total;sr_order=popularity;sr_pri_blocks=18583302_238804586_2_2_0__599999;srepoch=1713509357;srpvid=48cf2feb88830178;type=total;ucfs=1&#hotelTmpl

[unicorn]

15 hours ago, Mavica said:

... You'll need some ability to speak / understand Spanish, though...

I've been to quite a few countries whose language I don't speak. Due to the language barrier, the OP may want to go on more guided tours, and group tours can be done quite inexpensively. I don't think he'd have any trouble visiting the museums and castle and Chapultepec park, for instance. Teotihuacan probably needs to be visited by tour in any case, and there are plenty of English-language tours. I think that a lack on language skills would make it difficult to bargain for the trajineras on Lake Xochimilco, but, since he's traveling alone, it might come out cheaper to take a group tour anyway. I often use the Get Your Guide website to find tours, when I'm not using Tours by Locals (in other words, for group tours). 

https://www.getyourguide.com/-l194/?cmp=brand&cq_src=google_ads&cq_cmp=16360301027&cq_con=142705030736&cq_term=get your guide mexico city&cq_med=&cq_plac=&cq_net=g&cq_pos=&cq_plt=gp&campaign_id=16360301027&adgroup_id=142705030736&target_id=kwd-370090078524&loc_physical_ms=9030971&match_type=e&ad_id=628039657567&keyword=get your guide mexico city&ad_position=&feed_item_id=&placement=&device=c&partner_id=CD951&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwrIixBhBbEiwACEqDJf_Bk6oJc_Dj9HYDih8p8dYECcbrL2BFuQJpADHHOtjJggI1oJq1yhoCI9wQAvD_BwE

[JKane]

Well, I pulled the trigger.  Exploratory 5-night trip mid-May.  The Beer Hotel I mentioned (but if I really hate it I could just go somewhere else).  Direct, nonstop flights from LAX as they're not long I just did economy.  ~$900 incl. hotel.  

[unicorn]

4 hours ago, JKane said:

Well, I pulled the trigger.  Exploratory 5-night trip mid-May.  The Beer Hotel I mentioned (but if I really hate it I could just go somewhere else).  Direct, nonstop flights from LAX as they're not long I just did economy.  ~$900 incl. hotel.  

Wow. That's way under your $3000 budget. Good luck, and let us know how it works out (what you visit, and so on). To answer a previous question of yours, which it doesn't look like has been answered yet, Uber, but not Lyft, operates in Mexico. Ubers are usually allowed to take passengers to, but not from the airplane terminal, so you'd have to walk to a nearby place if you want to hail an Uber. Taxi fares are regulated, and are usually less expensive than Uber fares. I'll usually first get a price from Uber, then get into a taxi to ask its price, making sure it's under the Uber price, which it usually is. Ubers do have a safety advantage, though, as your ride is recorded and monitored. 

[Keithambrose]

33 minutes ago, unicorn said:

Wow. That's way under your $3000 budget. Good luck, and let us know how it works out (what you visit, and so on). To answer a previous question of yours, which it doesn't look like has been answered yet, Uber, but not Lyft, operates in Mexico. Ubers are usually allowed to take passengers to, but not from the airplane terminal, so you'd have to walk to a nearby place if you want to hail an Uber. Taxi fares are regulated, and are usually less expensive than Uber fares. I'll usually first get a price from Uber, then get into a taxi to ask its price, making sure it's under the Uber price, which it usually is. Ubers do have a safety advantage, though, as your ride is recorded and monitored. 

Not really on topic, but I am in New York,  and yellow cabs are significantly cheaper  than Uber. Odd, I thought. 

[KeepItReal]

32 minutes ago, Keithambrose said:

Not really on topic, but I am in New York,  and yellow cabs are significantly cheaper  than Uber. Odd, I thought. 

Download the "Curb" app - in NYC you can hail a cab with the Curb app  just like you would hail an Uber and can see exactly what it will cost before you commit. Then I usually compare with Lyft. Most days cabs on Curb are quite a bit cheaper. 

[Keithambrose]

1 hour ago, KeepItReal said:

Download the "Curb" app - in NYC you can hail a cab with the Curb app  just like you would hail an Uber and can see exactly what it will cost before you commit. Then I usually compare with Lyft. Most days cabs on Curb are quite a bit cheaper. 

Yes, thanks, I have the Curb app!

[Keithambrose]

5 hours ago, Keithambrose said:

Not really on topic, but I am in New York,  and yellow cabs are significantly cheaper  than Uber. Odd, I thought. 

Mind you Lyft were cheaper than Uber, maybe 20%. In London Uber remain cheaper,  but that is probably because London Black cabs are rather expensive. 

[Keithambrose]

1 hour ago, Keithambrose said:

Mind you Lyft were cheaper than Uber, maybe 20%. In London Uber remain cheaper,  but that is probably because London Black cabs are rather expensive. 

We also have what we call minicabs, which have to be booked. I use one myself,  as I know the driver, who is reliable, and you can book weeks  in advance.  They are more expensive  than Uber. An Uber driver still, sometimes, cancels the booking, having accepted it, and if you are going to the airport,  this is no fun.