Hotel Riu Plaza Guadalajara is a large, full-service hotel on Avenida López Mateos in Colonia Chapalita, on the city's modern west side. It has 556 rooms, and the hotel is shown as a five-star property. For leisure, there is a heated outdoor pool with loungers and parasols and a poolside bar called Blue Moon Lounge. Chardonnay serves fusion and Mexican dishes, Decapolis serves a breakfast buffet, and there are three bars and lounges in all, including Rooftop Bar 360 with views across the city. Covered self-parking and valet parking are available for a nightly charge, with limited spaces. The hotel is used to business groups and conventions, and it also suits families and travellers who like a reliable, big-hotel experience with a range of facilities under one roof.
Location and getting around
The hotel is in the Chapalita area, a residential and commercial district with shops, cafés and restaurants. The La Estampida sculpture is a two-minute walk, the Glorieta Chapalita roundabout about twelve minutes on foot, the World Trade Center about fifteen and the Minerva roundabout about fourteen. Expo Guadalajara is about nineteen minutes on foot, which makes the hotel popular with trade-fair visitors. The historic centre is a taxi or ride-service trip away, and Guadalajara airport is about forty-three minutes by car.
The rooms and facilities
With more than five hundred rooms, this is a large hotel, and the experience is about convenience and consistency rather than intimacy. Ask for a higher floor and a quiet side of the building if you prefer calm. The pool is a welcome retreat after a day of sightseeing, and the rooftop bar is a good place for a sunset drink. Breakfast is served as a buffet at Decapolis, and you should confirm whether it is included in your rate. Families can look at room types with space for extra beds.
Good to know
Parking has a nightly fee and spaces are limited, so ask in advance if you are arriving by car. The hotel suits business travellers, families, groups and anyone who wants a large pool-equipped hotel in the west of the city. It is less suited to first-time visitors who want to walk to the cathedral and the Teatro Degollado, for whom a hotel in the historic centre is more convenient. Use taxis or ride services for sightseeing, and consider splitting your stay between this hotel and one in the centre.
Dining and evenings
With two restaurants and three bars, you can eat and drink without leaving the building, which is useful after a long day or on arrival late at night. The rooftop bar is the best spot for views, and the poolside lounge is relaxed during the day. For variety, the Chapalita area outside has cafés, bakeries and restaurants within a short walk or ride, so you can mix hotel meals with neighbourhood discoveries.
Why stay here
- ✓Heated outdoor pool with poolside bar
- ✓Two on-site restaurants
- ✓Rooftop Bar 360
- ✓Three bars and lounges
- ✓Breakfast buffet at Decapolis
- ✓Covered self-parking and valet
- ✓Large rooms and meeting facilities
- ✓Air conditioning
Good questions
How many rooms does the hotel have?+
There are 556 rooms, which makes it one of the larger hotels in the city.
Does it have a pool?+
Yes, there is a heated outdoor pool with loungers and a poolside bar, Blue Moon Lounge.
How far is it from the historic centre?+
It is on the west side of the city, a taxi or ride-service trip from the cathedral. The Minerva roundabout is about a fourteen-minute walk.
