BuildingMyBento

Hi FT,

I'll be going to Tijuana/Rosarito for a few days at the end of August, and am curious if anyone has recommendations for hotels between US$45-60 per night.

Thanks,
BmB

Boraxo

For many years our go-to property was the Rosarito Beach Hotel, which was the grande dame in the region. However I haven't visited for at least a decade so I can't provide any current info though I am pretty certain the rates are outside your specified range. The hotel is very secure and has a nice pool and beach area.

BuildingMyBento

Thanks for your reply, Boraxo.

I'm realizing all too quickly that my dates - just before the US Labor Day - are probably not well chosen.

In any event, I'll hope for a) more replies and b) staying in Tijuana instead of Rosarito, because there are more options and it's not terribly far away (am planning to use public transit between the two).

SanDiego1K

If you have Hyatt points, there is a Hyatt Place in Tijuana now. Otherwise, it's beyond your budget. There's also a Holiday Inn (cheaper than HP) and a Marriott (more expensive than HP).

JDiver

There's always the classic Caesars Palace hotel, and restaurant, where the Caesar salad was created as a stopgap by owner -chef Cesar Cardini. http://caesarstijuana.com/?locale=en

BuildingMyBento

Thanks for your reply, JDiver!

Ah yes, that place isn't too far from the jai alai club.

BuildingMyBento

Hi SanDiego1K, would you say the Hyatt and HI are walking distance (i.e. is it safe enough) from Zona Centro?

Also, broader question, I'd like to take a bus from Tijuana to Rosarito/Puerto Nuevo...does anyone know where the bus stops are?

Thanks again,
BmB

EmailKid

There are nicer, newer hotels, though fairly basic, right around Avenida Revolucion. I've stayed at a couple of them to save money over staying in San Diego - much cheaper including the $2.50 Trolley fare

It's quite a hike from HI in Zona Rio to Zona Central, though buses run regularly. Not sure how well labeled they are though or if there's a way to find out which bus goes where.

There are several bus stations scattered around Tijuana - one of them is along a walking route from the border to Avenida Revolucion, and IIRC you can catch a bus to Rosarito there.

BuildingMyBento

Thanks for your reply, EmailKid.

Good to know about the hotels and buses...have you been to Rosarito/Puerto Nuevo by public transit? Did you go between Rosarito and Puerto Nuevo too?

EmailKid

No, only made it as far as Rosarito.

And as for public transit, it's a little different in Mexico, though I suspect JDiver could explain better than I.

It is public transport, but I believe it's a whole bunch of different companies plying a few routes with some large companies offering a larger "network."

It is relatively close, so it may even be possible to go by collectivo, though I didn't look into it.

If you plan on being in TJ for more than a day, Information booth on Avenida Revolucion is quite helpful.

Sadly Rome2Rio.com does not seem to help much. There is some dated info out there that still mentions Mexicoach, which as far as I know went bankrupt a few years back. Even Wikipedia still has them listed, but unless they moved somewhere else from Avenida Revolucion, they are history.

JDiver

The coach / bus companies serving Tijuana, which doesn't include Mexicoach (I think it's RIP) and lists only those that use the Central Camionera, can be seen here: http://www.descubretijuana.com/es/como-llegar/autobuses.

Transportation is a hodgepodge of lines.

EmailKid

Google found that page, and I was looking at it, but my Castellano is not what it used to be, and even then ...

hodgepodge is a good description though ^

Not unlike Asia where there are lots of companies, not likely to have a web page, but the beauty is, unlike airlines, no advance purchase necessary

TJ is an, ehem, interesting place, with tourist trade making a slow comeback after being hammered after the great American recession and some drug cartel violence that I understand was not in touristy areas.

Sadly for me, my all time favorite Loncheria, run by Chinese-Mexican owners si no more. It's been a pastry shop for years now, though you can still get very good huevos rancheros for less than three bucks. I'm thinking it was about a couple of dollars at the place a block from my hotel the last time.

And as an aside, I'm to this day amazed how quick they can do the math, though I've taken to using Pesos instead of Dollars. Just go to any 7-Eleven or fast food joint in US and give them $4.12 for a $3.87 check and watch the puzzled expression on their face

And yes, I've had them give me back my 12 cents, and then hand me back a dime and three pennies

BuildingMyBento

Thanks for your useful replies, JDiver and EmailKid.

(and even if I got lost, I take solace in knowing that the food would be really good.)