While there are probably a hundred hotels, B&Bs, and rental apartments around the UNESCO World Heritage center of Guanajuato, Mexico, there’s always been one problem for upscale travelers: the best two luxury hotels in town were a long hike away. This means visitors who were looking for the best often ended up taking taxis back and forth instead of stepping out their door and strolling.
Keep in mind that Quinta las Acacias and Villa Maria Cristina are perfectly fine places to stay, but those who want to walk out their door and be in the middle of the action have far more choices now, with surprisingly plush rooms. These hotels are all just steps from Guanajuato’s main attractions and all the outdoor cafes you can enjoy each month of the year.
Hotel 1850 Boutique
Like a movie that’s destined to be #1 at the box office on its opening weekend, this hotel situated right next to the park in the center of Guanajuato was a sure bet to get lots of attention. It made the most of the historic building (from 1850, of course), but this is no homage to Spanish colonialism. It’s more Mexico City than the heartland, with whimsical modern furniture, surprises around every corner, and rotating art installations. Each room is decorated differently, and each is a real work of art, with serious thought put into each element.
The roof deck bar here is a real highlight, with tables lit from within and a view of Teatro Juarez and two local churches lit up at night. When it comes to English proficiency, Hotel 1850 is miles ahead of anyone else in town, so for those who aren’t functional in Spanish, it’s a real refuge in the heart of the historic center. See a more detailed review here, great pics on the official website.
Check rates online for Hotel 1850 Boutique at Expedia, Booking.com, Agoda.com, or Hotels.com.
Nueve 25 Hotel
Under the same ownership as the hotel above, this property opened in a historic mansion with a big central courtyard and wrought-iron balconies. That’s the view you get from the bar and restaurant at the very top of this post: it looks right out at the glowing golden basilica that’s a landmark in the center and from the overlook area above town.
The name is an homage to Guanajuato’s silver mining history in the Spanish colonial days. Nueve is nine in Spanish, so it refers to the typical jewelry percentage of 92.5. The outdoor restaurant deck, partially covered, is called Sterling and is open all year long in this eternal spring climate. (During the cooler nights in January and February, they turn on gas heaters at night.) There’s also a wine tasting cellar and an additional bar in the lobby right off the street.
As with many of the hotels here, the lower-floor rooms only get light from the courtyard windows, so book a higher one to get more natural light through an exterior window. See a full review of Nueve 25 here.
Check rates online for the Nueve 25 Hotel at Expedia, Booking.com, Agoda.com, or Hotels.com.
Edelmira Hotel Boutique
Hotel Edelmira is just around the corner from Hotel 1850 and is a nice alternative if that one’s full. It is historic on the outside, sleek on the inside. The small indoor pool is really a plunge, but the restaurant is good and the rooms are well-equipped. The 27 rooms range from single-person ones with a double bed to spacious suites with a full living room and a sofa bed for a child. The top ones face the outside of the building and have a balcony, but the interior ones are quieter.
The owners of Edelmira have several other properties in town, so the staff is experienced. As with most hotels in this city, however, English proficiency is not a given. Rates run from under $150 to a shade over $200, double most of the year. With the right package, which includes breakfast for two. See our detailed review of Edelmira.
Check rates online for the Edelmira Hotel Boutique at Expedia, Hotels.com, Agoda.com, or Booking.com.
Casa del Rector Hotel Boutique
Located on Calle Positos between the university and the Alhondiga colonial-era granary, Casa del Rector Hotel opened in late 2016. Just a few steps from the home where Diego Rivera lived as a child, it’s within walking distance to nearly anywhere you would want to go.
The owners did a terrific job in restoring the old rectory building to glory while also expanding upward in the back to add modern guest rooms, the swimming pool pictured above, and a roof bar. A glass elevator takes you to the top. When the 13 rooms are close to full or there’s something going on in town, there are two restaurants and an additional courtyard bar open as well. This being an eternal spring climate in the highlands, you can sit outside all year.
White painted rooms are well-equipped with all the luxe touches and have a good mix of period elements for a sense of place mixed with some complementary contemporary pieces to keep the sleeping quarters from getting too dark and dowdy. Rates generally run $180 to $590 before taxes, the latter being for the Presidential Suite. This includes valet parking. See a more detailed review of Casa del Rector here.
Check rates online for Casa del Rector Hotel Boutique at Expedia, Booking.com, Agoda.com, or Hotels.com.
La Casona de Don Lucas
Situated right on the main street winding through the city and on the plaza in front of the landmark Basilica church, this hotel is a bit more modest, but it is a nice step up from the numerous budget inns nearby.
In a building that’s a century and a half old, rooms here are quirky, large, and full of character. Most are suites with a separate kitchenette and dining area, while the best is a 2nd-floor suite with a loft bedroom and the view you see at the top of this post. Rooms on the upper floors are also preferable for their high-beamed ceilings and bigger windows.
The furniture is eclectic, and the shower spaces are kind of tight, but there’s plenty of room and sitting areas. As with all Mexican hotels in this region, there’s no charge for Wi-Fi.
Almost all the suites are $140 or so a night with breakfast (before taxes), but plan ahead if you’ll be here during a Mexican holiday or during the Cervantino Festival. If you can read Spanish, see more at the La Casona de Don Lucas website.
Check rates online for La Casona de Don Lucas at Expedia, Booking.com, Agoda.com, or Hotels.com.
Hotel San Diego in Guanajuato
You can’t get any closer to the center of the main pedestrian street in Guanajuato than you can by staying at Hotel San Diego. It’s by one of the oldest churches, looks out on the main plaza, and you’ll be serenaded by the singing students dressed up like historic Spaniards who do roaming tours of the alleys.
This hotel mainly caters to Mexican tourists, and it looked stuck in time for many years, but they used the pandemic slump to spruce things up and do some renovations. The Italian restaurant on the second floor is one of the best in town and is an especially great option if you can get one of the tables overlooking the action on the street below. The main website is in Spanish only, so it’s best to go to the Expedia listing instead for info and booking. Rooms sometimes dip below $50 a night here for the interior (quieter) ones, but if you want to look out on the city, go up one level to face out.
Check rates online for the Hotel San Diego at Expedia, Booking.com, Agoda.com, or Hotels.com.
Casa Kloster Hotel
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If you’d prefer a small and hip boutique hotel that’s steps away from a dozen restaurants and places to get a drink on Alonso street, check into one of Guanajuato’s newest hotels: Casa Kloster. In the works for seemingly forever, it finally opened in late 2024 in a grand building that had been sitting empty for more than a decade.
Centered by a grand courtyard, it has a spa, a small indoor pool, and its own restaurant. As I write this toward the end of 2025, they’re about to open up a roof terrace, which will offer amazing views of the historic center and the surrounding mountains. If you’d like the convenience of being in the middle of the action but have a bit less noise when you’re ready to sleep, Casa Kloster is a good option. You’ll find a bathrobe, nice bedding, and Moulton Brown toiletries in your room.
Check rates at the official website in English or compare at the online travel agencies.
Check rates online for the Casa Kloster Hotel at Expedia, Hotels.com, Agoda.com, or Booking.com.
Other Guanajuato Hotels in the Historic Center
You might have noticed that none of these are international chain hotels. If you’re looking to earn and cash in points from your loyalty program in this city, you’re mostly out of luck. The only chain hotel that’s within walking distance of Guanajuato’s historic center is the relatively new Hotel Indigo by Cantador Park, about a 25-minute walk from Teatro Juarez. (That park is quite nice though!) There’s a Holiday Inn Express on the edge of town by the bus station, but you’ll need to take a taxi to go anywhere interesting from there.
Check rates online for the Hotel Indigo at Expedia, Hotels.com, Agoda.com, or Booking.com.
These aren’t the only Guanajuato hotels in the historic center, of course. If you don’t find what you want here or are looking for budget options, check the map further up in this post.
Story and photos by editor Tim Leffel, who lives in Guanajuato and used to run a company offering street food tours and historic Guanajuato walking tours there. This round-up of Guanajuato hotels in the historic center was updated in November of 2025.
