On a peaceful curve of the Laguna de las Ilusiones, the Hotel Graham (Rosendo Taracena s/n, tel. 993/312-7744, toll-free Mex. tel. 800/590-0554, www.hotelgraham.com.mx, US$60.50 s/d with a/c, US$80–98 suite with a/c) is an excellent option if you don’t mind taking a taxi to and from city sights. Rooms are spacious, spotless, and have cable TV, telephones, and pleasant views of the lagoon. The hotel also features a small pool and a good restaurant.

Best Western Hotel Madan (Madero No. 408, tel. 993/314-0518, toll-free U.S./Canada tel. 800/780-7234, www.bestwestern.com, US$67 s/d with a/c) offers small but spotless rooms with cable TV and telephones. A sweeping azulejo staircase leads guests to their respective floors. Ask for a room in back for a more restful stay—rooms near the front get lots of noise from the busy street and the (sometimes busier) hotel bar.

In the heart of the city center, the Olmeca Plaza Hotel (Av. Madero No. 418, tel. 993/358-0102, toll-free Mex. tel. 800/201-0909, www.hotelolmecaplaza.com, US$77–88 s/d with a/c, US$141 suite with a/c) offers rooms that feature comfortable pastel- colored furnishings, electronic door keys, satellite TV, small writing desks, and telephones. Executive floor rooms—with marble floors and thick glass shower walls—are on a separate floor. A small but very nice rooftop pool and a two-story gym are pluses. Be sure to ask about specials: Weekend rates are among the best around.