Many travelers end up staying at a slightly fancier hotel since the mid-range options in Campeche aren’t stellar.

Sir Francis Drake Hotel (Calle 12 between 63 and 65, tel. 981/811-5626 or 800/433-7253, www.hotelfrancisdrake.com, US$55 s with a/c, US$64 d with a/c, US$73–US$84.50 suite) is a cozy, classy hotel at the southeastern edge of the center. All 24 rooms and suites have comfortable beds, marble bathrooms, and attractive wood furnishings; the suites have extras like desks and sitting rooms. Ask for a room with a balcony for better light and a view of the cobblestone street. Some rooms have Internet, but all guests can use the hotel’s small computer center for free. There’s no elevator, and the restaurant is humdrum, but those are small drawbacks to an otherwise terrific value. Friendly service, parking.

Hotel Plaza Campeche (Calle 10 between Calle 51 and Circuito Baluartes, tel. 981/811-9900, toll-free Mex. tel. 800/007-5292, www.hotelplazacampeche.com, US$97 s/d with a/c, US$107–236 suite) has two buildings a block apart—one inside the city walls, the other just outside of them. Be sure you reserve the one inside the walls as it is newer, quieter, and much smaller, making the service more personalized. Rooms themselves are somewhat sterile but have good beds, mini-split air-conditioning, and boast little details like bathtubs, flat-screen TVs, and key cards. The hotel also has a sparkling mosaic tile pool in its interior courtyard. Be sure to reserve your room by telephone, as rates are often better as compared to the website.

The Hotel del Mar (Av. Ruiz Cortinez 51, tel. 981/811-9191, US$84 d with city view, US$120 d with ocean view) was Campeche’s top hotel before the Puerta Campeche opened, and is still a good choice for business travelers or tourists looking for first-class accommodations without the luxury/boutique price tag. All rooms have comfortable beds and modern furnishings; wireless Internet is available on the executive floor, dial-up only in the rest. If the view is important to you, rooms facing the Gulf have small balconies and are worth the cost—ask for the end units, nos. 221 and 222.

Hotel Baluartes (Av. 16 de Septiembre at Av. Ruiz Cortinez, tel. 981/816-3911, toll-free Mex. tel. 800/667-1444, www.baluartes.com.mx, US$76 s with a/c, US$88 d with a/c, US$132–160 suite) is a high-rise hotel fronting the malecón. It has comfortable rooms with air-conditioning and cable TV; all were in the process of being remodeled when we passed through—updated rooms are sleek and elegant with quality linens and heavy furnishings. Ask for one of the slightly larger oceanfront rooms; the views are superb and they cost the same as those facing the parking lot. Wireless Internet is available in the lobby, and there’s also a pool and decent restaurant on-site.