Mexico - Monterrey, Mexico for an American business traveler

With the recent increase in drug cartel related violence in Monterrey, MX - how might a US business traveler take necessary precautions when traveling there?

Hire a driver for the week instead of relying on cabs (even the "safe" ones)?
Hire a liason/escort for day to day business?
Anyone Recommended hotels in safe, secure areas (I prefer Starwood and Hilton family properties)?

Any other tips?

You're from Philadelphia and you're worried about violence in Monterrey??? :rolleyes:

MTY feels quite safe and in many areas seems like a wealthier more prosperous version of cities in the U.S. Southwest. I wouldn't take any special precautions in MTY. I bet more people are gunned down over drugs in the Badlands of North Philadelphia in a month than in a whole year in all of MTY...

Anyway when I stayed there I stayed at the Four Points Galerias Monterrey located in a suburban area across from a large shopping mall. Nice enough hotel but very boring suburban location. If not for the desert mountains in the background you could have mistaken the location for some generic U.S. suburb. Your better choice would probably be the Sheraton Ambassador downtown.

I would call Monterrey safe---unless you're a flashy business man with wads of cash and a Rolex, there are no special precautions to take other than wearing light clothes because of the heat and deciding what part of the goat to try at dinnertime. Most likely, your company down there will have a driver/courier onsite or will arrange transportation for you.

For hotels, there's 4 main areas business may probably bring you at or near--Macroplaza, TEC, airport, and Galerias--Macroplaza is the most interesting I think and that Sheraton Herb recommended is nice and close by.

It is true that Philly, like many large cities, has it's share of crime. And it's pretty localized to the depressed and impoverished communities. There are few violent crimes in the central/downtown areas of the city.

But I can also go out at night in Philly, alone, in the populated downtown areas and feel absolutely no stress of being mugged, kidnapped or accosted. I can also hail a cab on the street and be somewhat secure in knowing I won't be held at gunpoint or taken for a really long, expensive ride.

I don't know if that would be true of me doing the same in downtown Monterrey. Maybe I'm being naive or just ultra protective from watching too much news and too many bad movies.

Please continue to follow this thread in the FT Mexico Forum.
Thanks..
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator

Just to put things in context I love PHL and lived there for four years. I felt just as safe, actually slightly more so, strolling around MTY as I did in Center City Phila. Normal big city street smarts of the type you would use at home will be all you need in MTY.

I have not heard that cabs hailed from the street in MTY are a safety issue (as they are said to be in Mexico City) but if it helps your piece of mind you could certainly arrange for your hotel to give you the cell phone number of a driver they trust. Cabs from the aiport work on a ticket/zone system and tend to be brand new and air conditioned (rare in other Mexican cities).

If you have time, visit the brewery and adjacent Mexican baseball Hall of Fame, drink plenty of Indio beer (better than Yuengling Lager) and take a ride on MTY's Metro, a light rail line that puts SEPTA to shame for cleanliness and economy!

I don't know if that would be true of me doing the same in downtown Monterrey. Maybe I'm being naive or just ultra protective from watching too much news and too many bad movies.

It will be true. Evenings in the Macroplaza and adjacent Barrio Antiguo along with the Santa Lucia riverwalk (easily walked to from the Macroplaza), will be full of people, strolling families, young couples making out on benches, and groups of giggling girls.

You'll be virtually ignored--except that the street performers love to drag the gringos into their shows, so that's about the only time you may be "hassled". I learned long ago to steer well around clowns, jugglers and magicians.

I've done some business travel in MTY and quite a bit in MEX.
Drug violence is usually limited to those within the trade.
I feel completely comfortable using taxis and traveling in MTY. The city is so much more tranquil than MEX.

1) I would pass on a driver, bring a GPS (Garmin) and rent a car. Garmin offers Mexico maps on a SD card for $99.
2) Unless you're transporting large amounts of cash I'd pass on the escort.
3) I stay at the HI Crowne Plaza or IC Presidente. Whatever your preferred program is the hotel will be located in a good area.

Believe me, if you go with all of the security measures (like I did when I first went to MEX) you'll perhaps feel a little foolish once there.

MTY is ^

Monterrey is a great place to visit, and even the wimpiest of travelers shouldn't fear for their safety. Taxis within the city (not to/from the airport) are metered and CHEAP. If you're staying at the nicer hotels in the city (Sheraton Ambassador was a good recc.), they have contract taxi service and this offers even greater peace of mind.

Foreign tourists' chances of being kidnapped in MTY are pretty darned small. It's the rich Mexicans that have to watch out, but MTY is NOTHING like MEX in that regard.

I just read an article in the Mexico City paper this weekend about the latest danger in Monterrey...
Beware....
Bears are descending from the mountains!!!!!!
I feel bad for the poor little guys as the Regiomontanos don't take too kindly to the furry fellows.
Not something I'd lose sleep...or sacrifice an evening stroll...over.