Most tourists who come to Guanajuato want to stay in the center of town in one of the many fine hotels. This is not just understandable but desirable. The center, or El Centro, of most colonial Mexicans towns is where the action is. It is where there are sidewalk cafes, mariachi bands, impromptu street theater, and the Callejonadas.

This is where students in traditional medieval Spanish costumes not only sing but also will take you though the Callejóns singing and making all manner of merriment with stops for wine and cheese. It is most fetching and tourists think they will miss out if their accommodations aren't in the thick of it all.

The time of year you come to Guanajuato, the high or low season, determines the price you will pay. You might end up paying between $140.00 and $250.00 a night for a hotel room. Most of the hotels in the center, around El Jardin, have the most charming, and dare I say it—picturesque—little sidewalk cafes attached to them. The prices are comparable to that of the ritzy room you are renting. One hotel, Hotel Posada Santa Fe, serves decent Paella most Sundays.

You've budgeted an expensive vacation by taking out a third mortgage and you don't care, you are going to pay whatever it costs to stay in downtown Guanajuato to be near all the colonial Mexican action. You're only coming once. It's all or nothing. You are going for broke.

Problem: you won't be sleeping in the hotels you've chosen. Want to stay in El Jardin? You will never sleep. The noise factor is the most underestimated factor for American tourists and expats.

The people in this part of Mexico tolerate a level of noise bordering the incomprehensible.

Check out the hotels in the Paseo de la Presa area. Also, the Marfil area would serve up a restful sleep. Both areas are located well away from downtown. These hotels might even offer a service to take you downtown each day. If you must take a cab, no worries, it's dirt-cheap.

Doug Bower is a freelance writer and book author. His most recent writing credits include The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Houston Chronicle, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Associated Content, Transitions Abroad, International Living, Escape Artist, and The Front Porch Syndicate.

He is founder of Mexican Living Print & eBooks.
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