Perched on a hill overlooking Tuxtla, the
Camino Real (Blvd. Belisario Domínguez 1195, tel. 961/617-7777, toll-free Mex. tel. 800/901-2300, www.caminoreal.com/tuxtla, US$160–250 s/d with a/c) is the city’s top luxury chain hotel. Rooms are modern and well appointed, with subtle Mexican decor and sweeping city views. All open onto a multitiered lobby with an enormous Plexiglass ceiling. Below is a rock-inlaid pool with a waterfall (à la Agua Azul—use your imagination) and a 24-hour restaurant that overlooks it (the buffet breakfast is pricey, but the best in town). Additional services included a luxurious spa, a fully equipped gym, and a business center.

Sitting next to each other and opening onto a shared pool are the business-oriented Crowne Plaza (Blvd. Belisario Domínguez 1081, tel. 961/617-2200, toll-free Mex. tel. 800/000-0404, www.hotelesfarrera.com, US$107–255 s/d with a/c) and the family-friendly Holiday Inn (tel. 961/617-1000, toll-free Mex. tel. 800/507-7935, www.hotelesfarrera.com, US$103–167 s/d with a/c, two children stay for free). The Crowne Plaza is unquestionably the better of the two, with rooms that are sleek though comfy with deep beds, fine linens, carpeted floors, and earth tone decor. The ambience is subdued—almost library quiet—though there are lots of casual meeting areas. The Holiday Inn’s rooms are nice enough but lack the elegance of the Crowne Plaza. Rooms have dated furnishings, tile floors, and checkerboard bedspreads; add cable TV, in-room phones, and air-conditioning and you’ve got a standard room. In addition to the pool, the hotels share two restaurants and a gym.