I will be in SLP to visit an expat friend and check of the Day of the Dead thereabouts. Got my hotel booked and assume my friend can suggest restaurants, but I'd appreciate it if anyone has a favorite to recommend.

After SLP I thought I'd visit SMdA. Though I've been to Queretaro and Guanajuato I've never made it SMdA. Any hotel ($300 USD or less) and or restaurant recs? I have a guidebook coming, but hoped for current information here.

I'll be flying into SLP -- leave from there as well? Or would Leon be closer?

Thanks for your assistance.

What hotel are you at in SLP? We pretty much always stay at Real Plaza on Carranza, reasonable rates, and secure parking since we drive. Favorite restaurants are Cielito Linda, Oruga y La Cebada, La Legendaria (for the beer) & Cafe Cortao (breakfast). And of course a Costco hot dog, lol. But our trips are mostly for medical specialists and a stop on the way to/from the border.
A good reasonably priced (and quiet) hotel in San Miguel is the Monteverde, Mexican style and close enough to the jardin but quiet. We usually stayed there when we lived in Queretaro but came back to visit. Tons of other options of course. Hotels near the jardin can be noisy. Favorite restaurants are Al Rojo Vivo in an old hacienda, a taxi ride 10 minutes from town but the best burgers & margaritas. Mama Mia's Campestre (pizza, pasta, steaks their own craft beer in an outdoor garden setting in Atotonilco, Los Milagros Terraza, best view and the molcajetes are amazing. Pueblo Viejo for jicama tacos. La Posadita has a nice rooftop restaurant thats been there before most others. Mario's Mariscos for seafood (you probably guessed).

And yes bjx or qro would be closer to SMA than slp. Most visitors use a Bajiogo shuttle to either airport from SMA; $30 USD p/p shared van. If you can find a good flight out of bjx, spending a night or 2 in León wouldn't be the worst idea either. I linked a Leon trip report in Patricia's thread

Thank you baldOne -- much appreciated. I'll check out the Leon report. Staying at the Express Centro in SLP. (we're Mariott members). Expect it might be loud but I'll bring earplugs.

That's an excellent location, and the street is pretty quiet. If you're a craft beer guy, there are a handful of gastropubs a block from your hotel. When we're in SLP, that's our first stop.

Whoops, change of plans. Rather than SMdA, we're going to Mexico City. after SLP. We'll be staying at the Stanza, bald0ne, which you've mentioned a few times here. Any good restaurants or brew pubs nearby?

Found that flying into SLP from the New York area is no picnic. Some airlines require extremely long layovers (one was 24 hrs!). However, from Newark, United flies to Houston and on to SLP, so we took that. My expat friend says leaving is even worse, if you're not a very early morning person -- so glad we're returning from MC.

Hi Fra_Diavolo

Any advice I have would be dated at this point, but just wanted to wish you a great trip to SLP—have fond memories of the city and hope you will too. A stroll by the Catedral Metropolitana in the early evening hours in SLP always offered up some great entertainment!

Daniel

On our last two visits to CDMX we stayed in Centro. The craft beer place we found there was Hilaria Jardin on Bolivar 21, 9th floor. Kinda hidden, and you enter through an optical shop to get to the elevator. The views are excellent from their rooftop terrace. In Roma, Porco Rosso brews their own beer. Goes good with BBQ. Mercado Roma had some craft beer on tap. There used to be a place right next to Stanza, but it closed and I forget the name anyway. There's a poster on TA, Canadian Steve, that put together a good list of craft beer places.

Thanks for the good wishes and tips, gentlemen!