Hostel Moneda

the rooftop is nice, but it's true -- the staff are rude.

it's dirty, cleaners are lazy.

We had an excellent time at Hostel Moneda. I found the staff really friendly and professional and the included breakfast and dinner is hard to beat for the price. I would agree that the location is a bit dodgy so arrive during the day if you can. The bar is cheap, most of the rooms are adequate although the rooms on the top couple of floors can be really noisy, being so close to the bar.

One of the best hostels I stayed in throughout Central America! Not much that can beat free breakfast, free dinner and two free tours for only $10 a night. Location is excellent in the middle of Mexico City with cheap street food at the Zocaló and close to subway and other transportation. Lots of other travelers as well so good opportunities of meeting travel companions.

If you come and stay here, don't stay in the eleven room dorm with an "ensuite". All the pipes from the other rooms fed into what can only be described as a windowless storage room. We heard the water rush every time someone took a shower, and worse, went to the toilet. It permanantly stank. The two "ensuites" provided had broken tiling. One had a toilet and no place to wash your hands and the bathroom windows led into the bedroom. This all could have been handled if the staff weren't so rude. I watched one staff member interact with a client. They had reserved a place on one of the tours and somehow the ticket got misplaced, either by the staff member or traveller. Instead of saying, "sure, no problem, we have proof of your reservation" - which they did on a list, the woman criticized the girl for losing her ticke. Then she let off steam in Spanish to a fellow worker, something most people could understand by tone if not the words . The girl was still in front of her. It was rude and unprofessional. Yeah, they have a terrace, and are situated well, and I have heard the other rooms are ok, but my stay there won't be remembered for that. It will be remembered for the rudeness and the stench. I don't think I will ever forget the stench.

This hostel stretches over 5 floors and feels a bit institutional with its white corridors and sterile rooms, perhaps as a result of its size, although some rooms do have colorful murals on the wall. It has everything you need in a hostel, especially as a first port-of-call on a long trip, which is what Mexico City is for many people. There is free high-speed Internet (that actually works), a rockin' roof-top bar/restaurant where you are sure to meet other travellers, free breakfast, laundry service, private hot showers for most dorms, and it is clean. There are two outstanding features that make me recommend this hostel: firstly, the daily organised trips to the Teotihuacan pyramids and free walking tours around the historical city centre; and secondly, the central location, being just two minutes walk from the central plaza, known as the Zocalo. Competition with the nearby HI hostel keeps the management on their toes. The hostel couldn't be easier to find. Travel to Zocalo metro station, from the airport or the bus terminals, find Calle Moneda ("Moneda Street") which heads right as you stand looking at the front of the Cathedral, and walk until you see a building on the left with a sign that says "Hotel Moneda". That's "Hotel", not "Hostel", revealing that the hostel was once a hotel.

We arrived late on a Saturday night, and the taxi driver refused to drive off the main road around the Zocola. We had to walk a couple of blocks with all our stuff (heavy bags since we had climbing gear, crampons, ices axes, etc.). We were approached and followed by several guys who wanted to "carry" our backpacks and duffels for us. They weren't the kind of people who would take "no" for an answer. The alleys and side streets around the hostel were completely deserted except for us and the guys following us. When the hostel came into view, thankfully there was an armed policeman who encouraged the would-be thieves to leave. Our recommendation is arrive in the daylight if you are going to stay here. We heard automatic gunfire outside about one hour after we arrived. The hostel itself offered meager accommodations. We were so tired we slept with no problem. Breakfast in the morning on the rooftop is a delight!

I enjoyed staying at Hostel Moneda. The good points are its great location, the clean rooms, and the rooftop restaurant and lounge. The bad points: Someone stole all of my clothing and the staff were not very helpful in taking responsibility for the theft.