Hotel Victoria Oaxaca: The Definitive Review [2024]

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Are you planning a trip and want to know if you should stay at Hotel Victoria Oaxaca?

Finding a hotel in Oaxaca is very difficult because there are literally hundreds to choose from.

While there are some great options out there, it’s important to choose the perfect hotel to ensure that your trip is everything that you want it to be.

The last thing that you want to do is choose a bad hotel and return home disappointed and frustrated.

To make sure that doesn’t happen, I’ve set out a comprehensive guide to the Hotel Victoria Oaxaca so that you can find out everything that you need to know before making your decision.

Let’s dive right in.

*All images of Hotel Victoria Oaxaca in this article are credited to Expedia.com and Hotel Victoria Oaxaca*

Hotel Victoria Oaxaca: The Definitive Review

Where is Hotel Victoria Oaxaca?

Hotel Victoria Oaxaca is a highly-rated 147-room hotel in the hills about 1.5 miles outside of the historic center of Oaxaca City in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico.

If you aren’t familiar with Oaxaca, it’s a vibrant city in southern Mexico that is known for its rich cultural heritage and colorful traditions.

Probably the most famous of these is the Day of the Dead festival, which is held in Oaxaca each year from 31 October to 2 November.

Other attractions of the city include its countless beautiful colonial-era buildings that date back to the time of Spanish rule in Mexico during the 16th century.

And if that isn’t impressive enough, just a short drive outside the city you’ll find Zapotec ruins that are literally thousands of years old.

Let’s take a look now at how to get you to Hotel Victoria Oaxaca.

Hotel Victoria Oaxaca: The Definitive Review

How Do I Get To Hotel Victoria Oaxaca?

Getting to Hotel Victoria Oaxaca is a simple two step process.

The first step is to fly into Oaxaca International Airport (OAX). The second step is to book a private transfer, get a taxi or rent a car to drive to the hotel.

I’ve set out the steps you’ll need to take to get to Hotel Victoria Oaxaca as simply and efficiently as possible.

Flying Into Oaxaca

To reach Hotel Victoria Oaxaca, you’ll need to first fly into Oaxaca International Airport (OAX), which is around 6 miles from the hotel.

In North America, you can get a direct international flight from Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston or Los Angeles.

From elsewhere in the world, you’ll need to fly into Mexico and take a connecting flight. There are regular flights to Oaxaca from Mexico City, Tijuana, Cancún, Guadalajara, Monterrey, and Mexicali.

Flights from Mexico City are by far the most frequent. Unless you’re planning on stopping over in one of the other cities listed above for a few days, I recommend you fly via Mexico City.

Oaxaca Airport to the Hotel

Once you arrive in Oaxaca airport, you’ve got a few options to get to Hotel Victoria Oaxaca. You can book a private transfer, take a taxi or rent a car.

I’ve gone through each of these below.

Rent a Car

If you’re staying for more than a day or two, you should consider renting a car at the airport.

Oaxaca does have public transportation, but a lot of the attractions are outside the city so having a rental car is the ideal way to get around.

Hotel Victoria Oaxaca offers free onsite parking, so you won’t need to worry about where to park the car when you’re not using it.

Getting a car at the airport is very easy. You can book ahead and pick up your car in the arrivals hall of the terminal when you get off the plane.

I recommend using DiscoverCars to book the best deal available ahead of your arrival. You can expect to pay around US$30 per day plus gas for a basic rental car.

Book a Private Transfer

The simplest way to get to the hotel is by booking a private transfer on a platform like Viator. There are plenty of different providers for you to choose from, and prices start at around US$25 for a couple.

If you prefer to get a local recommendation, you can reach out to the staff at Hotel Victoria Oaxaca. Their contact details are below:

Take A Taxi

If you haven’t booked a car with the hotel, the simplest way to get from the airport to the hotel that requires absolutely no planning whatsoever is taking a taxi.

You’ll need to be able to tell the driver your destination and agree a price for the trip. The journey should cost you around US$15 – US$20 and you may need to haggle to get the driver down into that range.

You’ll also need to make sure that you have Mexican pesos with you, as the driver may not accept US dollars and won’t take credit cards.

Now that you know where it is that you’re going and all of the options that you have for getting there, let’s get into the review itself.

Hotel Victoria Oaxaca: The Definitive Review

Review Of Hotel Victoria Oaxaca

Hotel Victoria Oaxaca is a colonial-style 147-room hotel about 1.5 miles outside the historic center of Oaxaca.

The hotel was built in 1957 and was last fully renovated in 2010. The hotel grounds cover around 18 acres and include three main buildings, a few dozen villas, a pool area, and extensive gardens.

Despite its age, the hotel looks very modern and is furnished and decorated in a simple but tasteful style with touches of Mexican art and culture integrated into the design.

I’ve set out below a summary of the hotel, the rooms, hotel facilities, dining options and nearby attractions.

After that, I’ve given you a list of pros and cons of the hotel and given my personal view on whether you should book Hotel Victoria Oaxaca for your trip.

Let’s jump right in.

1. Location

The Hotel Victoria Oaxaca has a great central location on the slopes of Cerro del Fortín just to the north-west of the historic center of Oaxaca City.

The hotel property is alongside highway 190 just a quarter-mile north of the enormous Auditorio Guelaguetza, where the colorful Guelaguetza festival takes place for an exciting week in July of each year.

Its location is a great option if you’d like to be outside the hub-bub of town but close enough to visit it easily. The hotel provides a free shuttle bus service into the historic center and you can reach the Templo de Santo Domingo on foot in 25 minutes if you’re keen to walk down the hill yourself.

Whatever you want to see, Hotel Victoria Oaxaca is the perfect base for you to explore the city without needing to stay in the historic center.

2. Price

The price per room at Hotel Victoria Oaxaca starts at US$165 per night including taxes, sleeping up to two. A buffet breakfast is available at the onsite restaurant for an additional US$10 per person.

Discounted offers may be available from time to time, so it is worth checking prices in advance of your travel dates to see if you can get yourself a deal.

Check out Booking.com or Expedia.com for prices and availability on your travel dates, or use the search box below:

3. Rooms

There are 147 rooms at Hotel Victoria Oaxaca. Each of the rooms is simply but tastefully decorated in a modern style with Oaxacan artwork adorning the walls.

There are four categories of room available. You can choose from a Standard Villa, Standard Room, Superior Room and a Presidential Suite.

In all but the Presidential Suite, you can opt to have two double-beds in the room or a king-sized bed, as you prefer. If you go for the two double-beds, you can have up to two more people stay in the room for an additional US$20.00 per person per night.

There are no lifts in the property, however, some rooms are wheelchair accessible. You should contact the hotel if you need any of these services in your room.

If you’re travelling with your family, a crib can be provided free of charge. Rollaway beds aren’t available, but your children can use the additional double-bed if you choose that option.

Room service is available, and you can also arrange a wake-up service with the front desk.

I’ve set out more detail on the different room categories and available amenities below.

Standard Villa

The Standard Villas are located in the garden areas of the hotel and are 248 sq. ft. in size.

Each Standard Villa is air-conditioned and comes with a king-sized bed, a sofa-bed, a private bathroom with a bathtub, and a private balcony looking out onto the garden.

You’ll have access to luxury bedding with a down duvet, free WiFi, a flatscreen TV, cable channels, a desk, a phone, an iron and ironing-board, a room-safe, and a tea and coffee maker. You’ll also find free toiletries, towels, and a hair-dryer in the private shower-only bathroom.

The Standard Villa starts at US$165 per night for up to two.

Standard Room

The Standard Rooms are also 248 sq. ft. in size, are air-conditioned and come with a king-sized bed and a private bathroom. Depending on the room, you’ll have a view of Oaxaca City or the beautiful Sierra Madre mountains.

There’s no sofa-bed, but otherwise you’ll have access to the same room amenities available in the Standard Villa.

The Standard Rooms also start at US$165 per night for up to two.

Superior Room

The Superior Rooms are a spacious 463 sq. ft. in size, are air-conditioned and come with a king-sized bed and a private bathroom. They also come with a private balcony overlooking Oaxaca City.

You’ll have access to the same room amenities available in the Standard Room.

The Superior Room starts at US$185 per night for up to two.

Presidential Suite

The Presidential Suite offers you a palatial space that feels like a luxury apartment.

The spacious bedroom has a large living area and the private bathroom features a luxury bath area. You’ll also have access to an enormous terraced balcony area with sun loungers and a panoramic view of both Oaxaca City and the Sierra Madre mountains.

You’ll also have access to all of the room amenities available in the Superior Rooms.

The Presidential Suite is US$385 per night for up to two.

4. Hotel Facilities

Hotel Victoria Oaxaca has a range of great facilities.

These include a large outdoor pool area, a tennis court, a business center and several conference rooms and large areas for holding events. I’ve set these out in detail below.

The hotel also offers free onsite self-parking and a free shuttle bus into the center of the city.

Pool Area

Hotel Victoria Oaxaca has a large modern outdoor pool area with ample sun loungers and sun umbrellas. According to Hotel Victoria Oaxaca, the pool is the largest in Oaxaca City.

It’s surrounded by the natural beauty of the hotel gardens and the looming mountains in the background, making it a great spot to relax with your favorite cocktail during the heat of the day.

The pool area is open from 8:00am to 8:00pm every day of the week.

Tennis Court

The hotel boasts its own full-sized tennis court, which is a very rare find in a Oaxacan hotel, where space is often at a premium.

There’s only the one court, so you should contact hotel staff to reserve the court if you’re intending to use it. The hotel staff can lend you tennis rackets and balls if you don’t have your own.

Business Center

If you’re a digital nomad or just need to get some work done while you’re traveling for any reason, the hotel has you covered.

There is a small but full-service business center with internet connectivity, desks and chairs and printing facilities.

event Spaces

Hotel Victoria Oaxaca has several different events spaces available for use for an additional fee.

There are rooms of different sizes and styles and they are suitable for weddings, birthdays, and also business events such as conferences, meetings, or awards evenings.

Modern communications technologies such as audiovisual systems, sound and lighting, video conferencing, and outdoor broadcasting are all available at the hotel.

5. Dining Options

Hotel Victoria Oaxaca has an onsite restaurant called Restaurante El Tule and a lounge bar called the Bar La Terraza.

Restaurante El Tule

Restaurante El Tule specialises in Oaxacan cuisine with a few contemporary touches.

The restaurant has ample seating and beautiful views of the greenery of the hotel gardens, as well as the beautiful mountain range in the background.

You can enjoy the breakfast buffet of a morning for US$10.00 per person and you can also order à la carte for lunch or dinner.

The restaurant is open from 7:00am to 11:00pm each day of the week.

Bar La Terraza

Bar La Terraza is a lovely laid-back bar area with a traditional Mexican atmosphere. It often features live music from local Oaxacan musicians to complete the vibe.

The bar boasts a modern cocktail list, including a great range of locally produced mezcal that you can try in cocktails or straight, as you prefer.

Bar La Terraza is open from 12:00pm until 1:00am every day of the week.

6. Reviews

Hotel Victoria Oaxaca has a rating of 8.4 out of 10 from over 1,700 reviews. That’s a very respectable rating that shows consistency over a long period of time and a lot of satisfied guests.

The story that the reviews tell is that most people have a great stay at this hotel. The recent reviews are mostly very positive, and people love the location above the busy city and the views of an evening.

7. Check-In and Check-Out

Check-in at the hotel is from 3:00pm, and check-out is before 12:00pm.

Late check-in and check-out can be provided subject to room availability.

8. Pet-Friendly?

No, NaNa Vida Hotel Oaxaca is not pet-friendly.

Unfortunately, if you want to visit this hotel, you’ll need to find a pet-sitter.

9. Family-Friendly?

Yes, children of all ages are welcome at the Hotel Victoria Oaxaca.

If you’re travelling with an infant, the hotel will provide cribs available free of charge.

Rollaway beds aren’t available, but you can choose to have two double-beds in most rooms, so if you take that option, you won’t need them.

10. Nearby Attractions

Hotel Victoria Oaxaca is within a short shuttle-bus ride into Oaxaca City, and you’ll be able to reach everything within the city limits on foot once you’ve been dropped off.

Don’t forget your sunhat, suncream, and the bottles of water from the room in your hotel.

Attractions in Oaxaca City

Given that there is a free shuttle-bus service available at the hotel, I’d recommend that you take that into the city. It will save you time and you’ll have more energy to walk around in the heat of the day once you’ve been dropped off.

If you’re setting off on foot from the hotel, I recommend that you start by walking over to the Templo de Santo Domingo, which is the closest major landmark to the hotel.

If you’re not familiar with it, it’s a beautiful building designed in the neo-Spanish baroque architectural style that dates back to 1551. The Oaxaca Cultural Museum (Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca) is also next to the church and has lots of fascinating Oaxacan cultural exhibits.

After you’ve explored that area, you can take the pedestrian street known as the Andador Turístico south towards the Zócalo, which is the heart of Oaxaca City. From there, you can easily reach all of the landmarks in the city.

You can go further south to visit some of the city’s great markets like the Mercado 20 de Noviembre and Mercado Benito Juárez. Oaxaca’s stunning cathedral (Nuestra Señora de la Asunción) is right opposite the Zócalo, and the beautiful Teatro Macedonio Alcalá is just a few blocks to the east.

Attractions Outside Oaxaca City

If you have time to do a day-trip out of the city, there are also some fantastic places that I recommend you visit, and some of them are quite close by. I’ve described a few of the best of these below.

You can also speak to the staff at Hotel Victoria Oaxaca, who can speak to you about tours offered by the hotel directly.

Monte Albán

The closest attraction outside the city limits is the ruined Zapotec city of Monte Albán. It’s only three miles away from Oaxaca City, so you can reach it easily and can even fit something else in after you’re done exploring.

Monte Albán is built on the top of a hill overlooking Oaxaca. It’s quite large at about four square miles and there’s lots to see. Among other buildings, there are two pyramids, a ball court, and around 170 tombs.

The simplest way to reach Monte Albán is by taxi. It will cost around US$5 – US$10. Make sure you bring Mexican pesos and agree the price before you depart. 

There are also lots of Monte Albán tours available if you’d rather have the trip planned for you. Viator offers lots of different options, and you can often combine it with other attractions.

Hierve El Agua

Hierve El Agua is a unique geological marvel created from two petrified waterfalls about 40 miles to the south-east of Oaxaca.  

The smaller waterfall is called “la cascada chica” and the bigger one is called “la cascada grande”. The waterfalls were formed over thousands of years as mineral-rich waters ran over the edge of the cliff and down the escarpment.  

The plateau above the falls is covered in large shallow pools separated by beautiful mineral formations that look like atolls in an ocean. It makes you think that you are walking on a shallow reef in the Caribbean.

You can also hike to the bottom of the waterfalls, where there some more pools that you can sit in. There are change-rooms and toilets nearby.

The best way to visit Hierve El Agua is with a tour. There are some great tours from Oaxaca that combine Hierve El Agua with a visit to local mezcal producers or other attractions.

The hotel can recommend a tour operator, and Viator also has lots of them to choose from if you’d prefer to arrange a tour yourself.

Mitla

The ancient ruins of the Zapotec city of Mitla is about 30 miles to the south-east of Oaxaca, on the way to Hierve El Agua.  The name is derived from the Nahuatl word “Mictlán”, meaning “place of the dead”.

The ruins are situated in a valley nearly a mile above sea level and the site is thought to have been inhabited as far back as about 500 BC.  The city was a center of religious power in the region and was destroyed by the Spanish shortly after their arrival in the 16th century.

Mitla is perhaps best known for its intricate stone mosaics, which are sometimes called “Zapotec Greco”. You’ll recognize the striking pattern in lots of ancient friezes adorning walls and floors at the site, and it is often used in clothing and other artwork produced in Oaxaca.

My recommendation is to combine Mitla and Hierve El Agua together as a tour. They start at about US$50 per person on Viator, and you can speak to the concierge at Hotel Victoria Oaxaca if you’d prefer to organise it through the hotel.

If you prefer to guide yourself, you can reach Mitla with a taxi or the bus, and its about a 90 minute trip each way.

Entrance to Mitla costs US$5 so bring your Mexican pesos with you.

Hotel Victoria Oaxaca: The Definitive Review

Hotel Victoria Oaxaca: Pros and Cons

To try to pull all of the information above together for you, I’ve set out below the pros and cons of Hotel Victoria Oaxaca as I see them.

Pros

Pros are easy here, because there are lots of them at the Hotel Victoria Oaxaca.

Good Price for Families or Groups

The price per room at Hotel Victoria Oaxaca is roughly average for Oaxaca.

However, if you’re traveling as a family or in a larger group, you can get a lot of value from choosing the two double-bed option and paying the small additional fee to have extra people in the same room.

There are some hotels in Oaxaca that don’t offer the two double-bed option, and some don’t offer rollaway beds either.

If you fall into the family traveler or group traveler category, I think you can get good value out of Hotel Victoria Oaxaca.

Great Views

One of the major plus-points of this hotel is the great views that you’ll get because of its high vantage point.

The views are particularly good at night, which you can best enjoy from a table at Bar La Terraza or from your private terrace if you’ve taken a Superior Room or the Presidential Suite.

Good Range of Facilities

Hotel Victoria Oaxaca has a good range of facilities.

The outdoor pool area is the highlight, because it’s outdoor, huge and lined with sun loungers and other seating so that you won’t have to fight for real estate poolside.

There’s also a tennis court if you’re keen to work up a sweat, a business center in case you need to get some work done, and lots of events rooms if you’re planning a special occasion.

Cons

I think that there are a few cons to Hotel Victoria Oaxaca, which I’ve described below.

Outside The City Center

The hotel’s location is a bit of a halfway-house. It’s outside the historic center of Oaxaca, but it’s not so far outside the city that you really feel like you’re up in the mountains.

If you choose a resort or a secluded hotel, you often do that intending to spend most of your time at the hotel. If that is your goal here, I think a hotel like Hotel Casa Santo Origen is a better option, provided you can afford it.

On the other hand, if you’re intending to spend a lot of time exploring Oaxaca City, you might want to consider a hotel in the city. There are lots of great options like NaNa Vida Hotel Oaxaca where you can have a great location and a luxurious experience for about the same price.

The hotel bridges the gap here with the free shuttle bus and free self-parking, so you can definitely have a great stay at Hotel Victoria Oaxaca. Just make sure that you know what you’re looking for in your hotel before you book.

Approaching Need For renovation

Hotels ordinarily require a full renovation every 25 to 30 years. Hotel Victoria Oaxaca was last fully renovated in 2010, so it’s about halfway through its renovation life-cycle.

Some guests have suggested recently that some areas of the hotel could do with a bit of a freshening up, so there is a chance that you’ll find a few minor blemishes in the hotel deco from time to time.

I don’t think that it’s a major issue, so it’s just something to bear in mind when you’re booking.

No Spa Area

With a hotel of this size, you would usually expect there to be a spa offering, but that isn’t the case here.

If you’re planning on getting spa treatments during your trip, you’ll need to find a different hotel. The NaNa Vida Hotel Oaxaca has a great onsite spa, as does the Grand Fiesta Americana Oaxaca if your budget will stretch that far.

Hotel Victoria Oaxaca: The Definitive Review

My Personal Views

Personally, I would ordinarily choose an inner-city location when I visit a city I’m planning to explore, and choose an idyllic area away from the city if I want to relax and rarely leave the hotel.

Hotel Victoria Oaxaca walks the line between these two options. If you don’t want to stay in the busy part of the city but you want to be close enough to visit it regularly, the Hotel Victoria Oaxaca is a great option for you.

There is a free shuttle-bus that will take you into the center of the city, so you won’t have to take a taxi in every time. Having said that, you’ll need to take one back unless you want to walk back up the hill, which is a bit of a trek on a hot day.

When you’re at the hotel, you can enjoy the huge outdoor pool, the tennis courts, the onsite restaurant and the traditional bar area. The price is quite reasonable when you take all of that into account. I think it’s particularly good value if you’re traveling with your family or with a large group.

The hotel also has very impressive reviews, particularly in light of the number of reviews it has received. It’s been able to keep a lot of people consistently happy for a long time.

All things considered, if you want to book a lovely hotel that is outside of Oaxaca City’s hub-bub and noise but you still want to be able to visit it without needing to travel for hours, Hotel Victoria Oaxaca is a great option for you.

Hotel Victoria Oaxaca: The Definitive Review

Frequently Asked Questions

Just in case you still have a few questions that I haven’t covered, I’ve set out some responses to a few frequently asked questions about Hotel Victoria Oaxaca below.

When Is The Best Time To Visit Hotel Victoria Oaxaca?

The best time to visit is during the high season (December to April) because the weather is cooler and there is little or no rain.

However, it’s also more expensive during the high season, so if you’re on a budget and can put up with a little rain, the low season is also a good option.

Is It Safe To Visit Hotel Victoria Oaxaca?

There is a 24-hour concierge service at Hotel Victoria Oaxaca, and you’ll have access to a room safe so that you can store your belongings when you’re not in the room.

You’ll also have no troubles when you explore Oaxaca provided you take basic precautions. You can read more about safety in Oaxaca here.

What’s The Closest Airport To Hotel Victoria Oaxaca?

Oaxaca International Airport (OAX) is the closest airport, and is about 6 miles away.

You can reach the hotel by booking a private transfer, taking a taxi or renting a car. If you’re looking for a private transfer, you can book via Viator or contact staff at the hotel to provide you with a recommendation.

Why Is Hotel Victoria Oaxaca Special?

The Hotel Victoria Oaxaca has a great central location on the slopes of Cerro del Fortín just to the north-west of the historic center of Oaxaca City.

It gives you the best of a hotel outside of the city while keeping you close enough to be able to visit the attractions of the city without needing to travel for hours to do it.

Hotel Victoria Oaxaca: The Definitive Review

Final Thoughts

Hopefully you now have all the information that you need to decide whether Hotel Victoria Oaxaca is the hotel for you.

If you’re interested in booking, you can get the latest current prices and availability on your dates at Booking.com or Expedia.com.

If you want to check prices of car rentals at Oaxaca airport, you can find out at DiscoverCars.com.

Enjoy your stay!