Hotel Casa de Sierra Azul, Oaxaca, Mexico

 

I didn't take many pictures of the hotel, but we really enjoyed our stay at Hotel Casa de Sierra Azul.  The hotel is convenient to the Zocalo, in the center of Oaxaca.  It used to be a house, but is built more like a fort.  The ceilings are high and the walls thick.  There is a central courtyard where meals are served.  We enjoyed daily breakfast.  We also had several dinners.  They serve Oaxacan fare, such as empanadas with casilla and hoya de santo.  (Casilla is a local cheese; hoya de santo is a savory herb).

The rooms are spacious and comfortable.  The shower is very large.  The tap water isn't safe for drinking, so the hotel provides bottled water.  You can ask for a refill of your personal water bottle at the start of the day, if you drink up all the water in the room.  There is a coffee maker in each room.  Breakfast was excellent and begins service at 7:30 AM.  The toast with butter and guava marmalade was especially good.

The staff is very helpful and listened to my poor Spanish with patience.  Most speak English.  The immediate area has lots of interesting shops, restaurants, an ATM with instructions in English, an ice cream shop and is across the street from the Textile Museum of Oaxaca.  This is a small, free museum that is worth a visit.  Textiles are important to Oaxacan culture.  The nearby shops are full of beautiful hand-woven rugs.

I highly recommend ear plugs, because the downtown is lively until near midnight.  Mosquito repellent with DEET is also a good idea.  Oaxaca is best enjoyed with a lot of time outside.  There has been some cases of Dengue fever, so it is best to be very cautious.

                                                        A sweet corn tamale

        

                                                    The streets were decorated for the inauguration