How to Find Hotels In Guadalajara, Mexico

This capital city of Jalisco is a popular destination for visitors to Mexico's Pacific Coast region. Guadalajara is over 450 years old and continues to be one of the most important cities in Mexico, both politically and economically. Considered to embody Mexico the best, Guadalajara promises its visitors a culturally rich stay. Follow these steps to start planning your trip.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Valid passport and tourist permit
• Computer with Internet access for making reservations

Choose Lodging in Guadalajara, Mexico

1. Book your accommodations in Guadalajara, Mexico by calling the Tourism Bureau of Guadalajara at 011 ([phone] or by using its Web site (see Resources below).

2. Stay near Santa María de Gracia Church, the city's first cathedral built between 1549 and 1618. Accommodations in this area can range between $100 and $130 a night.

3. Check out the specialized rental companies in Guadalajara that feature short- and long-term vacation rentals. Some accommodations can sleep up to 20 people. These are ideal lodgings for large parties.

4. Venture out of Guadalajara for accommodations in Chapala and Ajijic, popular towns adjacent to nearby Lake Chapala. This shallow lake has drawn visitors since 10,000 B.C.E., when bands of hunter-gatherer tribes stopped by its shores to fish and gather berries.

5. Spend the night in Zapopan, a municipality of Guadalajara where many of the area's 3- and 4-star hotels are found. Here you'll also find some of the best shopping and restaurants in Guadalajara.

6. Choose accommodations within walking distance of downtown Guadalajara. This is the main tourist area. Late-night bus travel to areas outside is limited.

Know Your Destination

7. Begin your walking tour through the history of Guadalajara beneath the twin steeples of the 16th-century cathedral.

8. Discover remnants of Spanish colonization in the architecture of the city's regional museum. Housed in a colonial building dating to the late 17th century, this museum chronicles the history of civilization in this region.

9. Find Plaza Tapatía at the heart of the city of Guadalajara. This open space houses shops and restaurants against a backdrop of some of the city's greatest landmarks and is the product of a large-scale re-urbanization project in the late 20th century.

Arrange Transportation

10. Arrive at Libertador Miguel Hidalgo International Airport by plane. This airport is located south of the city. You'll find taxis waiting outside its terminals to transport you to the city.

11. Practice your Spanish to take the bus in Guadalajara. This is an excellent way to see the city but you'll need to purchase a route map before you plan your trip.

Tips & Warnings

• Check with your airline. The fee associated with tourist's permits in Mexico is generally included in the cost of airfare.
• All phone numbers start with the U.S. international prefix "011." When calling internationally outside the United States, substitute that "011" with "00."