BajaNomad

Cowboy hotel

mooose29 - 7-31-2012 at 08:15 PM

Since we have read so many good reports about the cowboy hotel in GN we thought we would stop and try it next week on our way south.

I do have a couple of questions

Is there a restaurant there, if not recomendations are welcome

Are dogs welcome we have 2 labs

how much are rooms going for?

Thanks all

shari - 7-31-2012 at 08:21 PM

the tacos at their taco restaurant are great! But if you want seafood, just walk a block south to Las Cazuelas...ask if they have mano de leon scallops!!! Tell em Shari from Asuncion sent you.

Now about the dogs...ahem...their policy is they do not accept dogs...but having said that, they have made exception in the past so give it a try.

I believe a double is 500 pesos or maybe $50...U2U me if you want me to make your reservation for you..they do fill up at times.

Bajaboy - 7-31-2012 at 08:22 PM

Yes, there is a restaurant there. I prefer the taco stand across the street...thanks to Woody for the recommendation.

One bed is 400 pesos and two beds is 500 pesos. Not sure about the dog status.

Have a good trip.

zac

mooose29 - 7-31-2012 at 08:34 PM

Shari thanks for the heads up the kids and I love scallops so we will have to give them a try

Special Treat

bajaguy - 7-31-2012 at 08:35 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by shari
But if you want seafood, just walk a block south to Las Cazuelas...ask if they have mano de leon scallops!!! Tell em Shari from Asuncion sent you.





Ask 'em for the chopped clams in creamy cilantro sauce.......YUM!!!!

bajagrouper - 7-31-2012 at 08:42 PM

I stayed there this last week, room was 400Pesos, restaurant did not open till 6 PM, had a delicious Hurrache ....thanks Sheri

dtbushpilot - 7-31-2012 at 08:45 PM

They have always allowed our dog but she is very small, a couple of big dogs might be a different story. Give them a try, the best deal in GN and the taco shop across the street is the best.....dt

Mula - 8-1-2012 at 06:02 AM

We stayed there a couple months ago and never again.
The rooms are cells, the restaurant is hardly a restaurant.
Charged 100 pesos each for a medium size dog and a chihuahua=eno (a chihuahua cross, so a little larger).

We would have stayed someplace else, but pulled in at 9p.m.

In the morning, no restaurant and no coffee. Not even in reception.

The staff weren't friendly - including Cowboy himself who was there in the morning.

Guess Jardines and Baja Cactus have spoiled us.

Sorry for the Nomad Syndrome post.

[Edited on 8-1-2012 by Mula]

shari - 8-1-2012 at 07:14 AM

Mula, I'm not quite sure what the Nomad Syndrome is? I see it as a positive thing to hear different opinions on places...keeping in mind the different strokes for different folks syndrome.

I think Mr.Grouper had a single room for 400 pesos which is what I reserved for him...the doubles have 2 beds and are nice rooms...I dont get that they are cells????? I've never seen the singles.

The restaurant is not open in the morning but there are 2 restaurants across the street open at 7...(so they say).

Chavelo the owner, who I agree is not the most gracious host, has had problems with dogs in the past...we had a long discussion about this. Being an accommodations owner, I see his point about not wanting to accept dogs and like that he has made some exceptions.

I am going to bring these other complaints to him although it is his family who staff the place...I have always maintained he should hire a nice, outgoing desk person but they just dont seem to recognize the importance of this....I guess "friendly" is relative too...Chavelo is a very reserved, quiet, serious guy who may seem unfriendly but it's just his nature. Too bad because he built such a nice hotel and a good front desk person would make a big difference.

and yes we have all been spoiled by Baja Cactus & Jardines!

Mula - 8-1-2012 at 07:31 AM

Shari,
It does make all the difference in the world when you pull into a hotel/motel hot, tired and ready for a change. . . and get a smile and welcome.

The rooms are extremely small. We were in 1 with 2 beds and could hardly get between them.

Just a vendor with coffee out front would be great for the mornings, if they don't want to have it in the office.

We couldn't even get a grunt out of the morning staff on who might be open for coffee at 7am. We went looking and found it, but a response might have been good.

So we left with a bad taste - never to return or recommend.

Udo - 8-1-2012 at 07:49 AM

When we travel Baja by vehicle, we always bring one bag that has a coffee maker and the related supplies.
No coffee at 6:00 a.m. No problem.

My restaurant of choice in the GN area is MARIO'S. It is about a mile out of town on the west side of Hwy 1.
Seafood is excellent, their floor is broken seashells.
Margaritas are to die for...my wife would not let me finish my only one because it was so potent.

Here is a link with the photo from a previous post:

http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=56350#pid6704...

Baja Travel........

bajaguy - 8-1-2012 at 08:13 AM

When we travel in Baja, we always bring our pillows, a washcloth, travel size soap and shampoo.

We have stayed in a double room at the Cowboy........yes, the rooms are small, but it was no problem. TV and internet were available and plenty of hot water.

Coffee is just down the street (within a short walking distance) at the PEMEX.

When we stayed there, the staff we delt with was friendly......might be because Shari was with us..... :lol:

Nope, not the Holiday Inn.......if you need frills, stay across the street........for us, the Cowboy works.

BajaBlanca - 8-1-2012 at 08:28 AM

and if you want to splurge - eat at the Malarrimo down the street, on the right side of the road. All our meals have been delicious and I personally love the curio store they have - they have some objects that are very unusual and beautiful.

they are open for breakfast. lunch and dinner.

I wonder if the lack of basic hospitality when you are in the hospitality business is because they themselves have not traveled much ??? When Mexicans in Baja do travel, it seems that it is mostly to stay with family ???

Bajaboy - 8-1-2012 at 08:41 AM

When traveling, I bring along my french press travel mug. I also have a baggy with teabags and sugar for my wife. Then all we need to find is a place with hot water. It's convenient and I get a great cup of coffee.

As for the staff at Cowboy, seems to be hit and miss but that could be said about a lot of places.

oxxo - 8-1-2012 at 08:52 AM

We have given up on the Cowboy Motel. We have stayed there probably a dozen times over the last 3 years and we saw the place go down hill each time we went. The rooms have been dirty with dog hair in them. Internet service has been spotty. The last two times we stayed, there was no water whatsoever until about 7pm. We have eaten at the Cowboy Resturant a couple of times (you never know when it is going to be open) and didn't like it either time.

So we are now back at Caracoles Motel. Rooms there are 560p as oppposed to 500p at Cowboy, but we feel we get a cleaner room and dependable Internet. But be careful, Caracoles is sold out at times when Cowboy is virtually empty, I guess the news is spreading. Neither Caracoles or Cowboy come close to equally Baja Cactus with it's lower prices. GN really needs a nicer option in motels....and the ex-La Pinta hotel in GN at US$100 per night is a rip-off.

The mini-mart at the gas station across the street from Caracoles is open 24/7 and they have coffee (or cerveza for breakfast as the case may be!). We will try Las Cazuelas restaurant next time.

DavidE - 8-1-2012 at 10:24 AM

The thing is, Guerrero Negro is LOADED with hotels now, so there should be no worries unless you arrive later on and it is after sundown and you are beat. East of the La Ballena supermercado is a coffee shop with Wi-FI, cappuccino, the whole shot. I've not tried the coffee in the Oxxo in Guerrero Negro, but I have had excellent brewed coffee in Oxxo convenience stores elsewhere.

Lee - 8-1-2012 at 11:15 AM

Caracoles: only 2 rooms I would stay in, can't remember the numbers but they're in the corner. Think they're called suites. The other rooms depress me.

Cowboy: they also have larger rooms and can't remember the numbers. They too are in the corner and I asked Chevalo for that room -- and Shari had made the reservation. There were 2 beds so guess it's a double. Room was fine.

I recommend not getting in late unless you have a reservation. Lots of places to get coffee in the morning: Pemex, Malarrimo, an espresso place across the street from Malarrimo. Last 2 places open at 7am.

Chavelo doesn't have coffee out in the morning? Boo hoo.

Don't compare GN to Cactus or NOB, please.

tiotomasbcs - 8-1-2012 at 11:19 AM

La Ballena & other good value/dog friendly options?? DianaT mentioned La Ballena was nice and I believe allowed pets?! $350 to $450 ? I searched but did not find the post. Thanks. Tio

DavidE - 8-1-2012 at 03:42 PM

Could it be the hotel DUNAS, right next door to the La Ballena supermarket? The price sounds about right, they'd never know about more dogs as the office has two or three running around.

Chavelo is a great host!

thebajarunner - 8-1-2012 at 03:53 PM

We stayed there a couple years back.
He drove us down to the whales and then met us to haul us back.

There were four of us in the car and he said "For $20 I can take you guys into the Salt Works for a private tour"

Hello!!! What a cool offer, and what an enlightening hour trip that turned into. He talked to the guard at the gate, then went into the office, came out with visitor passes and we had the deluxe treatment.

So, I guess if I could give up a smile at the counter for a most gracious and entertaining tour guide...
Well, ahem...... not a tough choice.

Mulegena - 8-1-2012 at 09:11 PM

Thumbs down, sorry.

~No water in the morning.
~Restaurant really heavy with greasy smoke and sticky surfaces.
~Check-in girl into a 'way heavy makeout session with bf on the office couch when we walked in.
She got up, buttoned her blouse and checked us in... then went back to the couch and her boytoy.
~Morning man 'way grumpy, "un sangron" said husband as we drove away.

David K - 8-1-2012 at 09:32 PM

Pretty cool that Baja Cactus is the standard by which all others measure up to!

July, 2011... as good as it was in 2005, but now with coffee makers in the room, too! $35-$40 range... Good job 'BajaCactus' (Antonio)!:






Bajaboy - 8-1-2012 at 09:36 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Pretty cool that Baja Cactus is the standard by which all others measure up to!

July, 2011... as good as it was in 2005, but now with coffee makers in the room, too! $35-$40 range... Good job 'BajaCactus' (Antonio)!:








But DK, at least I can make a reservation at Cowboy via email:lol:

dtbushpilot - 8-1-2012 at 09:56 PM

I always stay at the Cowboy, haven't been there in a year or so but I guess I don't feel that I need special treatment by the office staff. I haven't stayed in every room so I can only comment on those that I have been in and they have been fine. I've always had hot and cold water, maybe I'm just lucky. I couldn't log on to the internet once but didn't lose any sleep over it. I never liked the look of the resturant so I haven't eaten there but there is a great place across the street. Most motels in Baja don't have a resturant so I don't consider it a negative if their resturant sucks. Lots of places in Baja don't have coffee in the rooms but some do, I like it when they do but don't think it's a big deal if they don't. I used to stay at the Malarimo (help me out DK) but that place is an old dump these days and the resturant, which was always a "must eat at" place for me has seen better days. This is Baja after all, so many of the things we complain about today were the things that made it special a few years ago.

I like the Cowboy just fine, maybe I will try another place next time.....maybe not.....nunca sabe..

[Edited on 8-2-2012 by dtbushpilot]

Marc - 8-2-2012 at 06:45 AM

As far as it goes with coffee....I have traveled the world with a 110-220 volt hot water coil, plug adaptors, and packages of Starbucks instant. Probably the best instant coffee anywhere. The wife gets her tea right after.
The coffee found in most motels is not drinkable.

shari - 8-2-2012 at 07:43 AM

It's all relative isnt it...the tacos at Cowboy are the best in GN IMHO...I've stayed there lots and never not had water...I did fix the internet connection a couple times, the night guy is a guard and was a cop...he's there to guard your cars with all your stuff in them... not to be personable... although I have chatted with him many times and he's been lovely(just not one of those guys who has a big smile on his face)...may depend on a person's attitude too...or sometimes one is having a bad day...or really needs to make out with your boyfriend (that's pretty funny...cant wait to mention it to Chavelo!!!:lol:) I have always found the rooms very clean...but maybe the cleaning lady was hungover the day you found it with dog hair...(it's so hard to get all the hair out of a room.)

Chavelo has bent over backwards to help people in distress...he takes them personally to mechanics, tire shops, doctors etc and although he is the serious type, he has always stepped up to the plate to help his guests.

I agree Caracoles is a class operation but it is often full, the parking is a bit funky and the disco next door is a bit noisy at night. We have stayed at lots of hotels in GN...most have small rooms except La Ballena, which is quiet & dog friendly but it is very old and the carpets are rather dingy so the rooms are a bit musty.

Las Dunas is a good deal at around 300 pesos, bigger rooms, clean but some of the beds are nasty(check several rooms for the best bed) and it's the typical cheap mexican hotel with all it's fault...ripped screens, some tile missing but it has internet and is conveniently located but ya need earplugs for the refrigerating machines from the supermarkets.

I also liked the San Ignacio motel...the rooms in the courtyard around the back are small but quiet and dark in the morning....nice.

The Mini Motel Asuncion just past the hospital is also nice but you have to park on the street...OK if you dont have any stuff in your vehicle.

as mentioned earlier, the trick is to always go and see a few rooms and keep the checklist handy...hot water? comfy bed? internet? screens?

For me and my whale watchers, Cowboy is the best option...great beds, dark curtains, wifi, nice rooms and furniture and park outside your room...but thanks all for your input and as I said I will be taking this constructive criticism to him personally.

David K - 8-2-2012 at 08:35 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by dtbushpilot
I used to stay at the Malarimo (help me out DK) but that place is an old dump these days and the resturant, which was always a "must eat at" place for me has seen better days.


MALARRIMO :light: