We was visiting Emporio Hotel twice in the week 46 - 2011. The setting of the hotel are very good in the best end off the city out to a busy habour. If you come higher than 4 level you wil be able to see the see. We had a superior room facing the habour. The room are modern and with a big TV schreen. You are able to lie in your bed at see the see/habour. The clenness are very good. Around the reception the decoration are very modern and they try to give an atmosphere like home with lots of sofas where you cam relax.

The city of Veracruz are very interesting with old colonial style. All the people seems nice, and just across from the hotel you are able to take a city tour. You can also see a lot of small shops where they are selling stuff from Mexico. Please remember to negotiate the price.

Getting around in the city you can use the taxis - but remember to negotiate a price before driving. We was visiting Liverpool Mall which are a big center where you can by any thing. But offcource walking in the city are cheaper. Take a cup of coffe and feel the old days and the slow atmosphere. I was getting a haarcut for 4 dollars.

The staff of the Hotel Emporio are at first sight very friendly, but if they shall do something for you it will moste likely not happend or very slow. Not very many of the staff are able to talk English. The organisation between the appartment are not working. The only people who nows how to handle costumer are the guys standing in fromt of the Reception - They can help you with everything and they do it good.

The Spa at the hotel has very nice settings. When you go for a treatment you come into sauna, whirlpool and shower. You will relax on a bed in very nice decorated rooms. The massage are not the best, you are not getting what you ask for, but the girls are smiling.

The first 3 days I was booking on the hotel web to a price on 2.082 MXN per night for superior with seewiev incl breakfast. The last two days I booked directly at the hotel to a price on 1.100 MXN per night for superior with seewiev excl. breakfast (159 MXN), so again negotiate the price before booking.

Generel a good experince - only sad that the personal not are able to run the last mile to give a good service.

Best location in Veracruz. Close to zocalo and malecon.
We stayed in a suite with a balcony. Very nice. Rooms are
not as large as they were before the hotel was rebuilt. Room safe
will accommodate a 15” laptop. No larger. We took a cable lock.
Room service is great and cheap. Stayed on the 5th floor,
WiFi worked fine. Restaurants at the hotel are upscale and
a bit expensive for Veracruz. Cabs are cheap and there are great
places to eat all over town. Security was everywhere. In these
days that is a good thing. This is Mexico, a nice propina goes a
long way. Veracruz is not an American tourist destination. Being
able to speak Spanish is almost obligatory.

- location: in the center of veracruz, very good location, but far from the beaches
- pool: very clean and a good variety of pools
- personnell: no good english! only at the reception good english. personnell does not speak ANY english at the pool and the restaurant > this is not acceptable in a 4 star hotel!
- wheelchair access: yes
- room: very clean, WIFI does NOT work on the first and second floor. at first the receptionist advised us to use the lobby, but since we paid for a deluxe room we insisted on moving to another room. this was not a problem at all. all the amenities in the room worked properly.
- room service: on time and a good variety
- breakfast: buffet was great!!!!

summary: great hotel and good service, but the personnell needs to learn more english

This hotel is probably the best hotel in the whole state of Veracruz, and it sure is the best in the city. I'm going to write the review in the order of my trip
Check in / Check out
I did the check in at 8:30 am and although I did not my room to be ready, I did get it 1 hour later, which is great.
The check out was also fast and without problems
I give a 4.8 out of 5

Rooms
They are new but not quite modern. My room was 408 next to a corner room. I highly recommend rooms looking to the ocean but specially to all of those that finish in 06,07,08. If you have a room in front of the street just ask for change, you will have a bad view and noise 24/7.
The beds are a bit hard but not bad. The bathroom is also very nice and the room also has a medium plasma t.v. They are a nice 4 star hotel room
I give 4.5 points

Amenities
The Hotel offers 3 pools, one semi-Olympic, one for kids and one indoor. There is also a Spa and a nice GYM. And if you are wondering if this hotel has a beach, no it doesn't but because it's Veracruz, it does not matter.
4.6 out of 5

Service
This was kind of mixed. The Front Desk, housekeeping, Bellboys and Valet Parking service was great, I actually felt like if I was at a 5 star hotel. But the service at the Pool and Restaurants was very poor. People are very nice and always trying to help but is it either the Chef or the hot weather that makes all of them really slow. It took the waitress more 25 minutes for a coffe, 30 for a Pina Coladas and almost 40 for a dessert.
3.8 points out of 5

Restaurants
They have two main: The condiment where Breakfast is served offers good food at moderate prices. The El CAnarios offers better food and better service but of course it's more expensive.
I give 4.2 out of 5

Location
It's right at the Malecon where you can walk next to the sea and only 5 minutes away from Los Portales ( Restaurants) and the main Plaza. It's only 5 minutes away by car from the Acquarium and about 10 minutes away from Boca del Rio, which you will find a nice shopping mall, restaurants , the House of Agustin Lara and the only Starbucks in the whole state. But if you want to try the typical cafe go next door to the Cafe de la Parroquia( more than 200 years).
4.6 out of 5

Value
I got a fantastic rate, using my Visa (MasterCard also available) I only paid 80 Usd per night plus tax and it included an upgrade from a Standard room to a room with a view to the ocean. If you get a rate lower than 100 USD for a standard room then take it. And be sure to check the Prefer Hotel Progam and their website for great offers.
There are also Preferred rooms which are at the top 2 floors and have access to the Executive Lounge in which you will have breakfast and, I think, some appetizers in the afternoon, oh and also a great view of the Pemex Tower and the sea
I give 4.9 for my amazing rate

So this is not a 5 star hotel, in fact there are no 5 stars hotels in the city nor in Boca del Rio ( Camino Real and Fiesta Americana are all very nice 4 star hotels). But this hotels is an amazing 4 star hotel. People are very friendly but sometimes slow. The rooms are very nice and the locations is great. The hotel is not overpriced as the Camino Real or the Fiesta Americana. My only 2 complaints are : The room doors do not close properly and that all rooms facing the Street ( opposite of the sea) or near, have noise from the cars and a construction.
Stay here, it's the Best hotel in town.