Where to Stay in Oaxaca de Juarez, Mexico: La Betulia Bed and Breakfast

After spending a week exploring the marvel of Mexico City, it was time to venture south and we chose to get a bus down to the city of Oaxaca de Juarez first. Having spent 7 nights in the wonderful Casa San Ildefonso in Mexico’s capital, we hoped to find somewhere just as cosy and relaxing in Oaxaca. And that we did!

We ended up staying at La Betulia Bed and Breakfast in Oaxaca and this place was quite simply the coolest place we could have found for these 10 reasons:

1. New and Pristine
La Betulia Bed and Breakfast only opened in 2013 so it’s spanking new and pristine. Everything is clean, well maintained and the design is great.

2. Location
OK so Oaxaca has a grotesque “Hotel Zone” and the beauty is that La Betulia is well away from that and in a really cool location – closer to the bus terminal and just north of the city centre so everything is easily walkable.

3. Local Oaxacan/Mexican Breakfast

One of the biggest thrills of backpacking in Mexico is the food. La Betulia treat you to a local Oaxacan/Mexican breakfast every day and each day it is something different!

We stayed 3 nights so got 3 breakfasts:

Day 1 – Entomatadas con cecina (tortillas, tomato sauce, cheese, onion, parsley, spicy pork)

Day 2 – Juevos Rancheros (egg, tortillas, beans, spicy tomato sauce)

Day 3 – Memelas (cheese, beans, cactus plant)

4. Wifi

Yes, I mention Wifi as a must for me these days in hostels but as I work on the move and as we want to get our next destination booked then we rely on it. I got plenty of wifi time in La Betulia.

5. Lovely Owners

The owners are a cool couple called Carlos and Pia. They came out the front of the hostel to welcome us on arrival and they asked us every time they saw us if everything was OK. Even with their busy lives running this place, you can tell that they care about their customers.

6. Local Information/Free Map
You get issued with a map on arrival that has been specially printed by Carlos and Pia about the city. This is all the local information you need to get started in Oaxaca and they can give you more information and are very helpful.

7. Small
La Betulia has just 8 bedrooms and is small. Therefore it is easy to relax and feel at home here without interference. It seems so quiet and peaceful and sometimes Panny and I were the only two guests in the courtyard as others were all out. This felt like our home for a hat-trick of days.

8. Safety and Security
Locker/safe in each room and very secure place. With only 8 rooms it’s easily managed. Also if you check out at 11am and aren’t leaving Oaxaca until that night, you can store your bags no problem. It feels like a safe and secure place.

9. Escape from the Backpacker Madness

OK so I’ve been classing myself as a hardcore backpacker for at least 7 of the last 11 years, but sometimes, you need to escape that vacuum. Too many late nights, meeting more people than you ever remember the names of and drinking so much you miss your tour the next day. These are things of the past and thankfully the other travellers in La Betulia fit the “once a party animal, now happy to relax” model. Which was great!

10. Cosy Rooms
With a massive comfy double bed, a fan, a wardrobe, a safe, a desk (for blogging 😉 ), an ensuite and a nice green decor everything was cosy and perfect here.

Oaxaca de Juarez is a great Mexican city to explore and I totally recommend it, as well as a side trip to Monte Alban. Your stay in the city will be enhanced by booking into La Betulia – give it a try and remember to tell people you read it here on Don’t Stop Living. I have stayed in hundreds of hostels, hotels and guesthouses over the years so I hope I know what makes a decent place to stay and what doesn’t. Rates start at $75 US per night for one person, rising only $10 US per person, meaning if there are 4 of you, that’s around $26 US each – pretty damn good for a city as cool as Oaxaca!

Book La Betulia through Agoda

Here is the address:

• Manuel Cabrera Carrasquedo 102, Colonia Jimenez Figueroa, Oaxaca, Oaxaca, 68000, Mexico. Tel. 951-514-0029

• Reservations: [email protected]

Here is a video from La Betulia Bed and Breakfast: