One of my friends is being sent to Monterrey on Sunday for work for most of next week. Nobody is oh so happy about this due to safety concerns, but he doesn't really have an option.

His company has already set up a driver to meet him at the airport and take him to the hotel and to the company he has to meet with. I don't know the name of the hotel he'll be staying at. He's pretty much planning on staying in the entire time, and has a big door stop to put in front of his door.

Any ideas on to do's or don't do's for him would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

I think the don't are just typical big city stuff (Monterrey is one of the larger cities in Mexico). Be aware of your wallet, who's around you on the streets, agree on the price before getting in a taxi, etc.

I replied to your thread in the Lounge... if you can get the name of the hotel and print him out a city street map would be helpful. So he can be oriented about where he's at.

I am not aware of particular "safety concerns" in Monterrey, other than the usual big city stuff. He is unlikely to run into the mexican mafia or drug cartel lords, on a business trip doing normal business activities imo.

I haven't been to Monterrey myself, but a friend of mine who lives in Mexico once ended up there after getting on the wrong bus and spent a couple of days. He actually liked it quite a bit, though it is not characteristically Mexican -- more like a modern American city.

At any rate, I think it would be a shame for him to lock himself in his room for the stay. I'm sure his colleagues at work or the hotel staff can steer him to good spots and away from danger.

The Lonely Planet guide has a section on Monterrey.

Hi IR,
I LIVE in Monterrey.
on..."Any ideas on to do's or don't do's for him would be greatly appreciated. ..."
Well, Just tell your friend to ask the hotel front desk about what to do and when. It´s true we´ve had safety concerns, mostly related to drug gangs and people related to them. The city lives business as usual, except for some areas well known, so getting info from the people he will work with will suffice his need for safety.

jm

Fra_Diavolo and Suze, thanks!

jmgocan,

Thanks! The little bits of info that I've found lately have been pretty scary so I wanted to get some more information.

It was the nice Holiday Inn downtown that had the big problem a few months ago. Many drug people barricaded the streets w/their cars around the hotel and then stormed the hotel and took I think 3 Mexican business people (two men and a woman I believe) guests and a desk clerk (who had probably made the mistake of just being there and seeing them). I never heard why those 3 particular business people were targeted or if they have ever been found.

I stayed in that Holiday Inn a yr ago and one other time and was surprised this happened. I was glad I was not in the hotel when this happened-- as it turned out, one of the business people taken was in the exact room I stayed in last October.

I still go to central and southern Mexico but not to Monterrey now as well as the other northern states. Just too much danger to get caught up in, esp. in a hotel that is targeted by the drug people. Being caught up in a hotel raid scares me.

http://travel.usatoday.com/hotels/le...hotels-group/1