MEX: First-time visitor questions
 

Spending a long weekend with the family in Mexico City, starting Thursday (wife has conference = tax deductible vacation!). None of us have ever been to Mexico before. So, a few basic questions:

1) With hotel, transfer, etc., all prepaid, how much am I likely to need pesos (vs using plastic)? Or can I use US $ in most situations?

2) The Intercontinental "El Presidente" -- I've read all threads from the past year on this property. Any suggestions for views, etc.? I have no status w/IC.

3) I have Admirals Club membership, and OW Plat status. We're flying Mexicana. Is there any lounge that's significantly better than any other?

4) Anything else people think a new visitor should know?

Thanks, in advance!

You will need some pesos for miscellaneous expenses. Best way to get them is using an ATM machine to withdraw pesos from your checking or savings account. Machines are bilingual (Spanish/English).

Contact your credit card companies before leaving and advise them you will be traveling in Mexico on such-and-such dates. Otherwise there is a decent chance your card will stop working if the credit card company's security system starts detecting unusual activity on your account (i.e. charges originating in Mexico City).

Remember that Mexico City is at high altitude (over 7000') which can take a day or two to get used to if you live at lower altitudes. The air can be dry so you might want to use chapstick and nasal saline solution. Wearers of contact lenses might want to bring along a pair of glasses just in case the dry air and smog proves too irritating. And it is easier to get sunburned at this altitude so if that's a problem for you use some sunscreen.

Have fun!

Always take the right type of cab. At your hotel, you can take the hotel's cabs and if you will be out sight seeing, you can hire them by the hour. At a restaurant, have them call you a sitio cab. Do not hale a cab on the street.

Advice on Pesos was sound. Use a debit card at an ATM for best rate. Where US $ are widely accepted, often the exchange rate is very, very bad. Also, workers have a tough time using and exchanging them so using Pesos is the fair and kind thing to do. Finally the debit card charge for Pesos is often less than the surcharge for foreign transactions.