Fodor's Expert Review Casa Verde Hotel

There's simply no friendlier place to stay in this city, and the warm welcome extends to comfortable decor and affordable room rates. Rooms are cool, inside thick Republican-era walls, with a few artisanal touches like hand-molded cement basins and rustic wood towel rails in the bathroom. The central patio is welcoming and green, with a small jet pool and scattered hammocks that encourage guests to unwind and slip into the gentler local pace of life. The owner offers customized tours that beat the local operators.