9 Best Hotels in Veracruz, Mexico

A cheerful, yellow colonial building—just three blocks from the zócalo—houses this inexpensive hotel. Rooms are centered around an interior patio, and are simple but cheerful with bright paint schemes and fabrics. All rooms have TV and Wi-Fi.

Overlooking the Río Coyopolan, this two-story hotel couldn't have a better location. From the colonial-style building you can hear the river spill into a few small waterfalls. Rooms are small, but cheerfully decorated with local handicrafts. The open-air restaurant, La Molienda ($), serves fresh river fish. There's also a satisfying selection of beef and chicken dishes.

This place certainly earns its name—tropical flora tumbles from the balconies. The art deco–style structure, dating from 1940, has gracefully curved windows on the corner overlooking the town's elegant church. The rooms are, for the most part, spacious and sunny. Some have better views than others, so ask to see a few before you decide. El Quijote, which dominates the ground floor, has excellent seafood.

The most luxurious lodgings in Tuxpan are at this modern hotel overlooking Parque Reforma. The five-story building—which qualifies as a high-rise here—is frequented by business executives who meet for drinks in the small video bar or for dinner in the pleasant restaurant. The rooms, all painted in neutral shades, have views of the river. It's not hard to relax by the sparkling rooftop pool.

The trick at this hillside hotel is getting the right room; the dozen or so rooms with views of the town are the best, but check the mattress for firmness and be sure to specify whether you want air conditioning, before you settle in. All rooms are spic-and-span though the décor feels dated and a little stark. Although the staff does not speak English, they go out of their way to figure out what you need and deliver it promptly.

A royal lieutenant of the Spanish viceroy lived in this colonial house some 200 years ago. Now it's a gem of a small hotel, restored with earthenware tiles, rustic wood beams, and lime-pigment washes on the walls. Rooms surround three small bougainvillea-covered courtyards and have lovely hand-carved wood headboards, Talavera lamps, and hand-loomed bedspreads. Mesón's friendly, dedicated founders have also opened additional hotels in Xalapa and Coatepec, which can be found at the Web site.

On the plus side, this colonial-style hotel is a short walk north of Parque Juárez. Unhappily, that walk is mostly uphill, perhaps a reason why the rates are so reasonable. The rooms are simple and quiet, but some are on the small side, so look at a few before you decide.

A staircase decorated with hand-painted tiles leads you up to the second-floor rooms at this bright pink hotel. Ask for one of the spacious rooms facing the street so you can look out over the rooftops. Don't miss a meal at the seafood restaurant ($), which has tables in the beamed-ceiling dining room or on a shady porch.

Surprisingly plush, but small and somewhat crowded, rooms are set around two flower-filled courtyards with worn patio furniture at this budget hotel. Its location a few blocks north of Parque Juárez is ideal. The Mexican restaurant at the hotel entrance specializes in churros and is a comfortable place to have a snack and relax.