I did not "stay." I lived at Meson de Alferez for three weeks while guiding a student exchange with the University of Veracruz, which is associated with this hotel.

I had no problems with my room or the staff, although my first room assignment was too small to live in for three weeks. The hotel changed it in minutes. Be aware that some rooms are smaller than others.

The restaurant and the included breakfast are bonuses.

Overall, a very good experience.

Once again our Lonely Planet took us to a nice place, this time Meson del Alferez. We needed a single and a double room and one of the staff members showed us several (nice) rooms. The double room had a living room, bathroom and upstairs was the bedroom. The single room was nice, clean and spacious too.
Breakfast was included. Hosteria La Candela is is part of the hotel and the breakfast was very OK.
Xalapa is a very nice city and we loved their Museo de Antropologia with the famous Olmec heads.

NO heat and NO a/c but a wonderful hotel in the middle of the shopping district, one block from the Cathedral, and one block from the most beautiful main park of any Mexican city I have visited. Rates are very reasonable. Very small hotel---I was told 22 rooms. Excellent service. The restaurant below the hotel is noted as being one of the best in Xalapa for breakfast and lunch. Your breakfast (continental) is included in the price of your room. Very limited English and sometimes no English spoken. Amazing what sign language can accomplish. DO NOT think about using American dollars---they are not known in Xalapa. There is a computer room---across from the lobby desk, no charge. We changed rooms from an upstairs/downstairs to a single floor room and I forgot and left several hundred dollars in our first room. The money was not touched and it was returned to me. The hotel was previously the home of a wealthy family and it retains that atmosphere. I was told that Sanborns will be built in the vacant lot next door to the hotel. There is a Mexican lady who sits on the sidewalk at the entrance to the hotel who sells soft drinks, candy, etc.---buy from her---very reasonable and she does beautiful embroidery.

An old-fashioned little hotel just a few blocks from the main plaza, with very reasonable prices. Just don't expect first-class accomodations. It's made up of a series of small rooms around a courtyard. I looked at a number of rooms before choosing mine. Most are dark, and ventilation can be a problem. Chances are, your window will open right onto the courtyard, so there's not much privacy. The street outside is a rushing torrent of traffic, though inside it's pretty peaceful.

Jalapa doesn't seem to get many American visitors, but it's a delightful city with amazing parks, flowers everywhere, vibrant street life, a terrific and beautifully designed anthropology museum and, if the weather is clear, breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains. I stayed two days, and it wasn't long enough.