You get a lot more for your money when you visit smaller interior cities in Mexico. This is an example. During my recent visit to the state of Veracruz, we stayed at an Airbnb home in Xalapa, the state capital. It’s a lesser-known destination for most international travelers and isn’t on the Mexico vacation wish list for most, either, but it’s well worth a visit for several reasons. In this Airbnb review, we give a video tour of what you can get for $29 to $45 a night in the beautiful city — a full home with two bedrooms and multiple bathrooms, in the heart of the city center.
In my latest Airbnb review travel video, I provide a tour of the entire house. If you’re looking for fun and interesting things to do in Xalapa, be sure to check out my Xalapa travel video guide here.
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MEXICO TRAVEL TIPS: How to Get a COVID-19 Test in Mexico City — New Requirements for Flying to the USA
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Here’s what we liked the most — and what we could have liked better — about this Airbnb in Xalapa, Veracruz.
THE PLACE: Located on a quiet, hilly, stone street, this Airbnb rental house is located behind another house, so you enter through a gate that leads to a passaged going to the backyard, where a cute bridge leads to the house entrance. The two-bedroom house features one full bathroom, one half bath and one bathroom with a toilet and shower.
THE ARRIVAL: We took a first-class bus from Mexico City to arrive in Xalapa (which I do not recommend for everyone right now; find out why in my earlier post about bus travel during the pandemic). The arrival and check-in at the Airbnb was simple; the owner sent us photos to guide us through the procedure of entering through a gate and then finding the key to the house.
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PANDEMIC TRAVEL TIPS: Is It Safe to Travel by Bus During the Pandemic in Mexico?
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THE STYLE: The house is a pleasant combination of rustic and artsy, with a comfy living room with TV, exposed brick walls on both levels, an attractive dining room with modern chairs (I thought it felt almost like a cool cowering space), a basic-but-large kitchen with microwave, refrigerator, washing machine and small stovetop, and a small back terrace. Unique pieces of art dot the living area and there’s a half bath off of the living room.
Upstairs, the larger, front bedroom is spacious, with a built-in, open closet and a small bathroom with a toilet and shower but no sink. The back bedroom is slightly smaller but still roomy enough, with a similar closet and a full bath with shower. Both bedrooms have mosquito nets and fans. A door from the back bedroom leads to a stairway that goes to the roof, which is not furnished but can be used for hanging out and enjoying the view. The WiFi was especially good throughout the property.
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SAFE TRAVEL: 3 Tips for Staying Safe with Airbnb During the Pandemic
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BEST FOR: This Airbnb rental in Xalapa offers good value and lots of comfortable space. It’s good for friends and couples traveling together. I loved the fact that it was so large and was furnished with fans; the only thing I would have liked to be different was the bathroom off of the largest bedroom; it was a bit strange to have a toilet and shower but no sink (but at this price it was certainly not a dealbreaker). The central location is good for visitors who want to be in downtown Xalapa, within a few blocks of the cathedral, parks, shopping and restaurants. It’s a quiet, spacious and attractive property at a good price — not luxurious, but very comfortable and a great value.
If you’d like to check out the official Airbnb listing for this place, here’s the link.
I’d love to hear about your best (and worst) Airbnb and hotel experiences in Latin America, too. Please be sure to follow my travels on Instagram!