We spent a couple of nights in the Crowne Plaza, Boca del Rio, in early August 2011.

The property is clean and comfortable, but the rooms are a bit on the small side. There are a couple of nice swimming pools; where kids can play and take inflatable toys in, but the beach in this part of town is not very clean and I would not recommend it for swimming.

Service was good in the main restaurant and in the snack huts next to the swimming pools - my only concern is that the checkout process could be faster, as we spent almost 45 minutes in the line.

Other than this small gripe, the experience was good and my family enjoyed themselves. We will return to this hotel in our next visit to Veracruz.

this hotel is noisy and at all times busy, but the neighbouring hotel blasts hellish music at their pool all day long, depriving guests of the tranquility of the beach setting. Hotel staff claimed there was nothing they could do.

We stayed in this hotel first ($89 u.s. a night) and then in the Holiday Inn ($95 U.S. a night) , which is just next door and has a bigger beach.

The reason why we moved to Holiday Inn is because we needed to stay 2 extra nights after returning from Cordoba (Comfort-Inn, which I will review later too), and Crowne Plaza's nightly fees increased to $140 a night for the additional nights we needed. For some reason, prices increase on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights in most hotels in Veracruz.

Anyway, the customer service couldn't be BETTER! The second we walked in or out of the hotel, very courteous employees immediately asked us if we needed a taxi (this hotel has its own dedicated taxis) or tourist information or anything else and assisted us without delay and with a big, genuine smile. Same at the front desk, where all the staff speak fluent English (my husband doesn't speak Spanish, so this was priceless).

As far as the facilities go, I loved the hotel security system. For example, the elevator works ONLY if you have your activated key card. That means no strangers could ever reach your floor (Holiday Inn doesn't have this feature). Also, in order to open the door leading to the swimming pool, guests have to use the safety key card; this means peace of mind for people with children!

The swimming pool area is simple, clean and constantly maintained; one of the swimming pools has a small but charming waterfall feature, and there is music (not too loud, just right) playing all day, which contributes to a lively atmosphere. It has direct access to a very tiny beach and the view is spectacular and soothing.

Now the rooms; they have a built-in safety box, the bathrooms are reasonably spacious with the vanity separated from the shower/tub stall which is very convenient. The toiletries are included, and if you need any additional stuff you forgot (tooth brush, shaving cream, etc.), the hotel provides it upon request at no cost (same as Holiday Inn). Also ONE bottle of water per person a day is offered at no cost. The bathroom vanity also has a hair dryer , which I loved.

The lobby area is spacious, airy, modern elegantly decorated; it has a very expensive boutique (good quality linen clothing and other boutique items), a spa and a business center. It probably has a workout room (which we ignored, who wants to exercise during a vacation!!! :-)

The only restaurant seems nice although pricey. We did not have the time to try their food but it was full every morning; it seems to be popular among local people (Jarochos). By the way, most hotels in that area have what they call TARDES PASTELERAS (a buffet of cakes and coffee) on Wednesday evenings, it seems to be a favorite local tradition and a hangout for those who enjoy and crave sugar overdoses.

The bar is somewhat generic and a bit boring, I was expecting live music or happy hour (like in most Acapulco hotels); nothing wrong with it, just boring for my taste, since I was in the mood for fiesta! By the way, a cuba (rum and coke) is about $50 pesos (5 bucks); I think that's more expensive than a drink in any bar in the USA. But hey, all alcohol is expensive in ANY place in Veracruz. If you go to los Portales in the old Veracruz downtown area, expect to pay about $50 pesos for a beer, and $90 pesos for a decent shot of Tequila.

This hotel is directly across from a Mall and the World Trade Center, so it was very convenient for us because on May 3rd,. there was a storm (Veracruz has storm season from September -May), and the Jarochos say that on May 3rd., the day of the Saint Cross, a storm is MANDATORY. So we spent the day in the Mall and has breakfast in Sanborn';s which was just O.K.

So, I hope the readers find this review helpful and enjoy your stay in Veracruz!
Best regards,

I've been traveling to Veracruz for 5 yrs (1 or 2 times/ yr) and have stayed at the Crowne many of those visits. I also enjoy the Hotel Emporio and often split my stay (~3 weeks )between the two. The Crowne is probably a more "American" experience w/ Mexican overtones. The pools are incredible and the views are amazing... you can see the Gulf from most of the motel. The food is good, drinks too... lounge has entertainment - mostly on the weekends. It can be quite noisy - many of the guests are Mexican families on vacation. The Mall of America has an above street walkway for safe walking over the very busy street. People are nice- often going out of their way to be helpful. Many, many beggers and street vendors- which I don't mind, but it IS very different than other places. The traffic is insane- be CAREFUL! Many, many one way streets... and police!