Hotels in Mexico and Central America

[Nata Harli]

Originally Posted by LawnDart

Try this file:

Ah crap, it won't upload.

I edited the hotel info in Google Earth, organized into folders you can turn on and off and adjusted the size of the icon. It's all in a .kmz file. But I can't upload it.

Looks good....... I swear.

It's a great but if you cn't share it and have access to edit it for all, then I don't know what it's worth.

I can try e-mailing it if someone cares.

LawnDart,

Thanks for the comments. I've gone into "Collaborate" and opened this to everyone for editing (I think). Maybe you can get into it to edit it now but I hope I'm not opening up a can of worms by letting everying edit it.

Where can i find the .kmz file? I'll take a look at it if I can find it and see what I can do. I'm really afraid by opening it up to everyone to edit it might become useless. Maybe I can open it up to just a few people who know what the hell they are doing in GE. What are your thoughts?

Thanks.

Nata

P.S. Well, I just figured out there is a difference in "Google Maps" and "Google Earth". I guess I've got a link to my "Google Maps" file. Do I need to go to Google Earth to do the editing? As you can see, I'm a complete noob when it comes to this!

[LawnDart]

Nata,

From what I know, you can edit in GE. Google maps is more of a viewer with some simple location adding.

.KMZ file is the type of file GE saves it's information in.

Basically what I did

-Take your Google Map
-Click on view in Google Earth, upper right corner
-In GE organize the locations on the left hand side toolbar
-Then when finished organizing, right click on the folder in the tree, Mexico Hotels, or whatever you've compiled everything under.
-Click Save As
-This gives the .KMZ file

Also, to edit icons, from the left hand list, right click on a folder or individual, then click properties, you should be able to change an icon or the size and text around it.

To share this in GE is a little beyond me. But for our community to see it I think it has to set on a server or something like that.

P.S.
I'm no expert on this stuff, so if I'm way in left field on this and someone can reel me in, please do.

[Sjoerd Bakker]

Phew , after much wrangling with the computer and after a number of failed attempts I made it onto the ADVrider site.Then some more struggles and a few days later I managed to navigate this far. Now hoping it all doesn't evaporate before my eyes again!To the point.
I have been getting some feedback lately that my name and mention of my guide book has been coming from the ADVrider site.
In short it is much as Django Loco describes so I will just add some detail. I have been travelling around Mexico for 30 years and Central America after the civil wars ended in Nicaragua and El Salvador .All the while I have spent my nights in small , economical,tidy ,family owned inns in all manner of places in all corners of the countries. A number of years ago I decided to compile a list of many such inns in a planned guide and since then I have revisited those hotels I selected in an effort to bring pricing and details up to the latest date.I have also been checking hotels in intersting places just to collect such data. The list includes hotels in Mexico and all over Central America. Places which are regular small towns as well as the famous tourist destinations and famous archaeological sites. Hotels I choose are economically priced nice sevicable places with secure parking for a motorcycle or car, a fan, toilet and shower.In many cases they have air conditioning and TV, or it is available at a small added fee They are nothing to be ashamed of and in many cases they are quite fancy ,the equal of any chain motel in the US even at their low price.Ratings you might say range from 3 star to stardust to starlight. In some cases the motel was selected because I needed a place and it was the only place in town, or it was an irresistable location and price .Or it might in the odd case be an emergency choice to get off the road in bad weather or before nightfall ,which then proved to be a surprisingly good choice worthy of recommending.
I never travel with any detailed plan of route or overnights.Never make reservations. I Look for the least costly place if there are a number to pick from and then decide and I have never been disappointed .I also carry a tent and light sleeping bag for those cases where I might not find a hotel and I have only used it once as such an emergency measure in 30 years, although I do camp occasionally. If one is prepared to camp outdoors then what should prevent one from camping indoors? We are not all milionaires travelling with a chase vehicle to carry our fancy duds . If one must have fancy hotels with all manner of luxury this book is not of interest, you can find plenty of $70 to $700 per night hotels with no effort- but you can forget about the back corners of these countries.
My book is a simple affair, 14cm X 22cm, black and white on bond paper, a very easy fit in any tankbag .

-#------------------############_____________###########_____________# #####______________#-
Since writing the above I have been costantly collecting more hotel locations on repeat trips and I have reworked al the data for a new 2012 version of my guide Then recently I did a small edit to correct a few errors and to add some important new rule changes on the customs requirements (TVIP Security Deposit) and I took the trouble to add a small number of new towns for Mexico whch had never been listed before ,containging 75 more hotels. The new edited version came from the printer this week and is now ready and available.
The width X length size of book remains the same but it has grown in volume so much that I decided to split it into two parts , Part I dealing exclusively with Mexico and Part II contains all the essential introductory information and the hotels across all of Central America.Weight has gone up accordingly .
The number of pages has more than doubled to 300 and the number of hotels also has tripled.There are now listings with directions to 1103 hotels in 498 towns across Mexico and 431 hotels in 218 towns in the seven countries of Central America.. These hotels start in the border towns along the USA side and extend to Yaviza ,Panama at the end of the pavement and start of the Darien Gap.

Unfortunately due to a substantial increase in the cost of printing on the quality paper and an upcoming increase in the postage rates in the coming new year 2013 I have been forced to raise my price . I regret that , but it is beyond my control and I am not willing to go into the red just to see others enjoying the benefits of my research. .
Henceforth the two- book set will be sold together as a unit for $30 to any address in Canada and the continental USA . This INCLUDES cost of postage and handling from Ontario. .
Postage to other continents is considerably higher which makes sales there unattractive. However if you are planning a trip through Mexico and CA starting from the USA end it may be worthwhile to consider finding a contact address in the USA where you could have it sent so that you can pick it up after arriving in the USA. For instance a relative or a new friends's home, , a motorcycle shop where you have reservations for bike service or a hotel you will be staying at .



If you would like a copy you may send a US dollar or CDN dollar cashable cheque, postal money order is okay too but costs more than a bank cheque.

Moneygram ( available at many independent retail points, at WalMart,at Canada Post outlets ) or WESTERN UNION transfers are a third option but be warned , it was pointed out to me that these forms of payment are very secure but they are also very expensive relative to the small amount of money involved. A Moneygram from the USA will cost you $15 on top of what I charge to recover my costs !

Make your cheque payable to
Sjoerd Bakker
733161 Pick Line
RR 3 Norwich
Ontario N0J 1P0
Canada



The book is available only in this paper format. I have no computer nor computer skills beyond this style of posting, e-mail and web surfing.

A big change has occurred in that now I have indeed signed up with PayPal and for all you electronically enabled whizzes you can indeed pay by way of sending a Paypal payment to my e-mail address account sjoerd47@hotmail.com ( at least that is how I undestand it works form one test purchase already done by a new friend who was willing to explain the system to me . Thanks Rey )
HOWEVER I must caution that such a near instantaneous payment mechanism may raise false hopes to you as a purchaser.
Please ,please remember that I do still remain the inept computer user I was before and the delivery system is still by way of the same postal sytems requiring the same lead time for the book to reach you .
If you do go the PayPal route and if I am around the home base to act on it I may be able to send off an order more promptly , but it also opens a possibility that your payment languishes on the email in box list without me knowing about it if I am wandering around on the bike for weeks. If you do choose to go the PayPal route then you must state in your order letter that such a payment has been made.I don't know if PayPal gives you some form of printable proof but do give something like that in your order letter. This is because my help who looks after the sending-out of books when I am on a trip is even less computer savvy than I am and there is totally NO computer at home base.
It is a better method I think to simply MAIL a personal cheque or cashiers cheque from your bank to me with your order letter for the book well before you plan on setting off. Such cheques are fairly secure and will be deposited to my account after the required time for it to be cleared by the various banking channels. It may take a week or two but that is not a problem for me. The book will be mailed out immediately when the order is received here on the very day or the following day
Send a cheque( or MONEYGRAM or an international money order or WESTERN UNION ,similar process and costs to MONEYGRAM )transfer.
For MONEYGRAM you go to the place where they are sold and give them the name and address of the intended recipient(me ) and pay the $30 plus a BIG service fee. They then isssue a file number for that payment. When you write your order letter for the books to me you MUST include that MONEYGRAM File number and your RETURN ADDRESS IN CLEAR UNMISTAKABLE PRINTING

I prefer such a paper book form over electronics because it is so transportable, no batteries required and it has immediate and random access when one is on the road.
In the book all towns with hotels are listed in alphabetic order per country .In the front of the Part I Mexico book I include a schematic index of towns listed in sequence as they appear along the highways and divided into various highway routes and regions. This makes it, I think, a fairly simple task to decide which routes one is interested in for a trip and then to highlight those potential hotel places on your map.
Obviously I make no claim to have every hotel in every location, but it will give a user the option of picking and choosing and at least of being sure there may be a hotel within range when heading to an unknown- to -him destination. It gives peace of mind , less stuff to worry about.This can be of particular importance to a first-time traveller to Mexico with limited Spanish language skill. As travel experience progresses and the Spanish improves the new traveller can apply the methods outlined in the book to strike out on his own to investigate other hotels. The hotels listed will in most cases place the traveller in the center of town and in the vicinity of a range of other hotels which can be investigated if you wish.
For each location I include the name of the town, the state(in Mexico) , the highway numbers which connect it, a brief description of any especially important facts about it or nearby sites and possible alerts as to unexpected local features,scarcity of gas situations, long or tedious distances ( i.e tedious really often means slow going wonderfully curvy ,steep,scenic,mountainous or all of these!) to next possible hotel site. Hotels are listed by name and an example of recent price, room appointments,food availability if needed, and its location in town with an address. In many cases a small basic sketch map provides more help in finding it.
I spent a few hundred dollars in printing fees and am not even tallying the countless hours of ,collecting, compiling and typing the data, so I am just aiming above the break-even point.
If you need more info just e-mail me at the hotmail address sjoerd47@hotmail.com
ADVrider contact file pm s are risky because I may not check them for weeks and weeks if I am away travelling..
And finally a word on leaving adequate time for mail delivery. It takes about a week to 10 days for regular mail to travel across Canada and the USA, Therefor if you want the handbooks please order well before the time that you want to start off. Please, avoid deciding you want one a week before departure date and then try to get a rush delivery by courier ( which gets way expensive if you get my attention in time and I am still around the homestead and not in Mexico that is)
Buen viaje.

PS SPECIAL NOTE : if you wish to make reference to this post please DO NOT
COPY AND PASTE my entire post it into your post
. Since I occasionally
edit this post and update it a pasted copy would lock in numbers which
would be out of date and wrong after an edit by me.
If you wish to reference this original post it is best to provide only
a LINK to the page 7 post . That way readers will always get the
newest info and it will save a lot of space in the post.

[Lone Rider]

Originally Posted by Sjoerd Bakker

Phew , after much wrangling with the computer and after a number of failed attempts I made it onto the ADVrider site.Then some more struggles and a few days later I managed to navigate this far. Now hoping it all doesn't evaporate before my eyes again!To the point.
I have been getting some feedback lately that my name and mention of my guide book has been coming from the ADVrider site.......

I don't personally know SB, but do know him from the www.horizonsunlimited.com site. I'm only sorry that it took him this long to get here.

He's a real traveler with real-world experience, and with helpful advice.

Welcome to this site, SB.

[Nata Harli]

Originally Posted by Lone Rider

I don't personally know SB, but do know him from the www.horizonsunlimited.com site. I'm only sorry that it took him this long to get here.

He's a real traveler with real-world experience, and with helpful advice.

Welcome to this site, SB.

I'm going to send him some money and purchase his booklet. I'll let you know what I think after I've had a chance to look it over.

[Nata Harli]

Thanks for the info, Sjoerd, and welcome to ADVRider. I'll be sending you some money this week for you booklet so I can check it out.

[karmatourer]

When I lived in Copan last year,many riders stayed there and were pleased.Best bargain in town with secure parking.

Originally Posted by pilot

Country: Honduras
City: Copan Ruinas
Name: Hotel Mar Jenny
Location: Three blocks up the hill from the zocolo. Or ask any of the taxi drivers.
Cost: 2006 it was $18US a night.
Secure parking
Comments: not fancy, not trashy, will stay there again, everything is within a few blocks. Actually one of the cheapest and decent hotel in town. KLR friendly.

[Nata Harli]

1. State: Copan
2. City: Copan Ruinas
3. Hotel Name: Hotel Patty
4. Address/directions/coordinates: 1st hotel as you enter town
5. Rating: 4.5
6. Comments on Location: Town is so small anywhere would be convenient, everything is within walking distance
7. Rate: $20 double
8. Secure Parking?: Absolutely
9. Hot water: Yes
10. AC: Don't remember
11. Fans: Yes
12. Service/Language Spoken: Service great, Spanish only
13. Overall impression: Would stay there again without hesitation
14. Date of Visit: January 2008
15. Website of Hotel: None, phone # is 651-4021 (you figure out the rest)
16. URL for your trip report:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=303031

[Nata Harli]

1. State: Peten
2. City: Isla de Flores
3. Hotel Name: Hotel Peten
4. Address/directions/coordinates: On Isla de Flores
5. Rating: 4.5
6. Comments on Location: Right on the lake with great view from room
7. Rate: $30 single
8. Secure Parking?: No, but had no problem parking on street right in front of hotel - see the above picture
9. Hot water: Yes
10. AC: Yes
11. Fans: Ceiling
12. Service/Language Spoken: Good service, some English spoken
13. Overall impression: Very nice place to stay for a few days, free wireless in lobby
14. Date of Visit: January 2008
15. Website of Hotel: www.hotelesdepeten.com
16. URL for your trip report: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=303031

[Nata Harli]

1. State: Rivas
2. City: San Jorge
3. Hotel Name: Hotel California
4. Address/directions/coordinates: N11 27.485 W85 47.610
5. Rating: 4
6. Comments on Location: Great location, walking distance to Lake Nicaragua
7. Rate: $20-30
8. Secure Parking?: Absolutely
9. Hot water: Yes
10. AC: Yes
11. Fans: Yes
12. Service/Language Spoken: Owned by an American ex-pat
13. Overall impression: One of the nicest places I stayed at on the whole trip
14. Date of Visit: January, 2008
15. Website of Hotel
16. URL for your trip report: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=303031

[Nata Harli]

This was a really cool hotel & restaurant I discovered on my way back from visiting Tikal. Already had a room in Flores but stopped and ate at the restaurant and it was one really cool place.

Here's a link: http://www.lacasadedondavid.com/


Rates are $16 - $26 per person including 2 meals. I would definitely stay there next time I'm in the area.

[Lone Rider]

Country: Mexico
State/Province/Department: Coahuila
City: Cuatrocienegas
Name: Hotel Santa Fe
Address/Directions: East end of town on the main hwy
Cost: $50 dbl
Parking: in front of your room, motel courtyard
Contact: dunno
Date: '05, '08
Comments: This is a fairly nice hotel, secure, pool, two blocks from tiendas. A complaint and several hours were required before hot water was available. The office girl during my last visit was a true hottie, early 20s, long hair and probably 33b-24-36...or so. This hotel is over-priced, IMO, even with the hottie.

[Lone Rider]

Country: Mexico
State/Province/Department: Chihuahua
City: Jimenez
Name: Hotel Florida
Address/Directions: There are two main streets into the town off the main hwy, and this hotel is a few blocks in from the southern main street, on the right, ask if uncertain
Cost: $20ish
Parking: in front of your room, motel courtyard
Contact: dunno
Date: '08
Comments: A multi-level gone to seed hotel. Room was OK, but lack of maintenance is clear. The large broken down semi truck in the rear of the courtyard offers scenic viewing opportunities. I would stay here again.
__________________

[tedder]

Originally Posted by Nata Harli

(La Casa Don David) This was a really cool hotel & restaurant I discovered on my way back from visiting Tikal.

Yeah, that was a nice place. Here are some pictures from their (beautiful) yard:


Of course, Mrs. Tedder didn't care for this critter, who we found in our room:


We *loved* Tikal.

[Lone Rider]

Country: Mexico
State/Province/Department: Chihuahua
City: Alvaro Obregon
Name: Hotel Mountain Inn
Address/Directions: Approx 8 miles west of Alvaro Obregon which is 25 miles N of Cuauhtemoc
Cost: $25ish
Parking: in front of your room
Contact: dunno
Date: '08
Comments: This is Mennonite country and the motel is similar to those found in the USA, restaurant onsite, another Mennonite built and run motel one more mile west (Alpine something), english spoken, Mennonite-run grocery store a couple miles west, beer only available in Alvaro Obregon, good grocery also in A Obregon