Hotel Country Plaza

Rooms and decor

Turn into the Country Club district of Zapopan for the first time and it feels like you have left the busy version of Guadalajara for another town entirely — wide streets, low-walled houses, big trees in long rows, cars moving slowly, people walking dogs in the evening. This is the city's upper-middle west side, and Hotel Country Plaza is tucked into it: a compact 4-star that looks unflashy from outside but turns warm the moment you reach the lobby. Inside, the look is easygoing classic Mexican — earthy yellows against dark wood, with local ceramics set out here and there. It is not new-boutique modern, but it is not worn out either, more like a relative's home decorated with care than a place chasing trends. The 80-plus rooms and several suite types run noticeably wider than hotels in the centre, with room for an extra bed for the kids without feeling boxed in. It suits anyone who wants a stay that feels like home more than a luxury hotel.

Food and amenities

The heart of the place is the two pools, clearly split by season. The indoor pool with a jacuzzi sits in the main building — warm light, water at a comfortable temperature — and stays open all year regardless of weather. Kids love it, because they skip the cool air of the November-to-February stretch, when Guadalajara nights run colder than visitors expect. The outdoor pool opens fully in summer (March to June), when the sun is good and the sky is clear, with loungers for parents while the kids swim. Babysitting is the detail reviews keep coming back to, and it is hard to find at this 4-star level elsewhere — you really can arrange it through reception, not just read about it online, so parents can head out for a relaxed dinner at nearby Andares without dragging small children along. There is also a restaurant and breakfast on site, a fitness room, and free parking in the building.

Location and getting there

The location is both the draw and the catch. The west side of Guadalajara, in Zapopan / Country Club, is a quiet, safe residential zone full of green space. Closest is Bosque Los Colomos, a big city park with a lake, a small Japanese garden, running paths and a playground, about a 5-minute drive from the hotel — ideal for morning or evening runs with the kids. A little further out is Andares, the city's upscale mall, with good restaurants from classic Mexican to Italian and Japanese, cafes and a cinema, around 10 minutes by car. The Basílica de Zapopan and Zapopan's old town are a short Uber ride away. For Guadalajara's own Centro Histórico — home to the Catedral, the Teatro Degollado and the famous Mercado San Juan de Dios — count on 20 to 30 minutes into town. GDL airport is about 35 minutes. This works best for families with a rental car or who are happy to rely on Uber.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide. First, the location outside the centre: if your trip is about walking Centro Histórico every day, seeing the colonial architecture and sitting in plaza cafes, this means an Uber up and back daily, roughly 20 to 30 minutes each way, and the fares add up. Without a rental car, weigh whether it is worth it. Second, the decor in some rooms — a few reviewers, especially those after a modern look, said the furniture and bathrooms in certain rooms felt older than the 4-star price suggests, even if they were clean and worked fine; ask for an updated room at check-in. Third, breakfast and the restaurant split opinion clearly — some like the local Mexican options, others find it ordinary with a narrow choice, so if a big breakfast matters you may prefer a cafe in Andares. Finally, noise: some rooms face Av. Patria, where traffic moves fast morning and evening, so ask for a high floor facing the interior gardens for a much quieter stay.

Our take

From reading real reviews and tracking the signals that line up, Hotel Country Plaza is the right answer for families set on a relaxed stay in Guadalajara rather than rushing the old town daily — a quiet, safe base with pools for rainy and sunny days, babysitting you can truly call on, and a big park nearby to burn off the kids' energy, all at the best 4-star value in the area, which is hard to match in the same range. If you are already planning to use a rental car or Uber, the location downside all but disappears. But if the heart of your trip is exploring Centro Histórico and picking restaurants off the old town's streets, a hotel in the centre may fit better. Overall we give it 8.1/10, best for families with young to primary-age kids who want an easygoing base in a quiet part of Zapopan rather than city-walkers or couples after a livelier scene.