Mexico’s second-largest city of Guadalajara doesn’t get all that many tourists considering its size, but there are plenty of reasons to visit if exploring Tequila country nearby or heading to Lake Chapala. There’s enough to occupy you in the city itself for a few days and there are quite a few good restaurants. It’s also a business hub, so if you’re sticking around a while for that, consider the newest hotel on the scene: Staybridge Suites Guadalajara Novena.
This hotel is the second Staybridge Suites in the area and one of many IHG properties here. The other one is near the Intercontinental, next to the Plaza del Sol outdoor mall and near the Expo center. This Novena one opened in 2021 though and everything was shiny and new when I stayed there. It’s close to Providencia and Americas Financial Area for business, or the Novena Mexico shopping mall for pleasure. This is a safe, upscale area of Guadalajara and parking is free if you’re in a car.
The lobby is one of those you take an elevator to, in a complex where there’s retail on the ground floor and a parking garage across the breezeway. The advantage of this set-up is that you get some elevation away from the street noise, plus there’s a furnished outdoor deck with a view that’s lined with plants. That attractive outdoor space is welcome in the urban environment and in a nod to the extended stay concept, there are even gas barbecue grills out there where you can grill up your own dinner.
There’s no real bar or restaurant after breakfast time, but there’s a large refrigerated area with beer, wine, sodas, and microwaveable food that you can purchase. There’s also a hosted reception with drinks three weeknights.
Otherwise, there’s a convenience store a half block away and then a dozen restaurants and a wine store within a few blocks. There’s no swimming pool on site, unfortunately, but there is a small gym with a few cardio machines.
The open lobby area is a great spot for work or play. There are a few computers that are useful for printing out travel documents or having some work collaboration on a big monitor. Other tables are set up with outlets for your laptop. On the fun side, there are a lot of board games to borrow and a book exchange so you can swap out one you have finished. The whole space is bright and airy.
The main reason to stay here, however, is to have a large room with a proper kitchen. The “suites” part of the name doesn’t mean you’ll have two separate rooms, but these are ample junior suites with a full-sized fridge, cooking surface, microwave, coffee pot, toaster, dishwasher, and a good array of dishes and utensils.
You can wheel around on the wood laminate floors in an ergonomic desk chair and use an ample built-in work surface. When it’s time to unwind, there’s a divan-style sofa with a portable laptop table (or place to set your drink or food). Most of the TV channels are in Spanish, but there are a few that aren’t and you can connect an HDMI cable for streaming. There’s a good amount of storage space in the wardrobe closet with safe, including a set of drawers next to it.
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The comfortable queen bed has reading lights on both sides as well as regular and USB charging outlets on both sides. The bathroom has a standard hotel set-up, with a single sink and shower, with large refillable bottles of J.R. Watkins toiletries mounted on the wall.
The room prices at Staybridge Suites Guadalajara Novena are a great value, starting at around US$70 including breakfast. There’s rarely any reason for prices to spike at this hotel geared to longer-stay business travelers. There’s a guaranteed best rate if you book direct at the IHG site, but you can also compare online at Hotels.com.
Editor Tim Leffel was hosted one night at the new Guadalajara Staybridge Suites Novena for purposes of review. As always, all opinions are his own. All our reviews contain affiliate links, which may result in a commission if you book through them. You will never pay more, however, than if you just entered the site through search.
