Veracruz: Where Mexicans Go On Vacation
Hotels, restaurants, cafes, and playa
We discovered Veracruz a few months ago when we were searching for the closest beach to Puebla. Our son had a case of bronchitis, and we wanted to give him a break from the dryness and high elevation, and bring him back to sea level and humidity.
Salty air, vitamin D, and vitamin Sea are an underrated way to nurse yourself back to health when you need it, and as we discovered, a great little road trip away when you want to be by the ocean.
Heroica Veracruz is in the state of Veracruz, hugging the Gulf of Mexico. It is a hot, vibrant little city with a little Miami flair, and we absolutely love coming here. We discovered that this is the place where people from Central Mexico (Mexico, Puebla, inland Veracruz, etc.) come to catch some rays.
Puerto de Veracruz is one of Mexico’s largest shipping ports. The downtown city centre on the beach is called Boca Del Rio, a few minutes away. This is where all the main hotels, shops and restaurants are.
Here are a couple of our favourite spots to stay, dine, drink coffee and relax.
Hotel Galeria Plaza Veracruz:
This is our go-to hotel in Veracruz, with the best location. It is right in the heart of Boca Del Rio, across the street from the beach. In order to go to their beach club, you take a complimentary shuttle that runs from 10 am to 6 pm. There is also an indoor pool directly in the hotel.
The hotel has good-sized regular rooms for under 80 USD per night, and larger suites, but we always book a regular room as we spend most of our time outdoors anyways. They are immaculately cleaned every day, with very comfortable beds and bedding.
They also have a fantastic breakfast buffet, with a harpist, guitarist, and traditionally dressed singer playing live music while you dine. The food is very fresh and has a big selection— one of the best hotel buffets we’ve encountered in our years of international travel as a former flight attendant and pilot.
We have been to Veracruz four times, and we keep coming back here. As we will get into later, we tried out another hotel which was also lovely right outside of the downtown core, but we ended up coming to Galeria Plaza after three nights there, because we love it so much— and, it has a sentimental value to us. When our son was sick, the staff was so sympathetic and patient, and truly cared about how he was doing. The second time we came back and he was in good health, everyone cheered.
What really sets Galeria Plaza apart are the hotel staff. Everyone from the hotel managers and receptionists to the waiters to the cleaning ladies and security guys are incredibly professional, kind, and at your service— para servirle.
The Shopping Malls:
Las Americas
Galeria Plaza is connected to a large underground mall, Las Américas Centro Comercial, which is very convenient. You can find the large department store Liverpool, some shops and fast food restaurants, and an old-school department store called Sanborns, which is open early and late— a great place to buy bottled water, sunscreen, medication, toothpaste, toys, flotation devices and whatever else you need (or forgot to bring with you). There’s a Starbucks in the food court next to Sandborns, if that’s your thing.
Andamar
If you want a more upscale experience, exit the Plaza downstairs, and take the pedestrian bridge across the street to Andamar Lifestyle Center. This beautiful luxury mall sits right on the ocean. There you will find Zara, H&M, and a whole host of mid to high end Mexican, European, and American brands. This is where we prefer to shop for clothing, bathing suits, and all the rest. They have a Starbucks here too.
Andamar also has some great oceanside restaurants— we tried a couple at Las Americas but didn’t eat very well there. Andamar is where it’s at for food, if you want something within walking distance from your hotel.
Favourite Restaurant in Andamar: Maria Maria Cocina de Origen
Try their Barbacoa (12 hour slow-cooked shredded beef).
Iconic Coffee in Veracruz:
La Parroquia de Veracruz
La Parroquia is a historic coffee roaster, café and restaurant in Veracruz, which has been around for over 200 years— since 1808. Their original location in the Puerto de Veracruz is a bustling scene, with a marimba ensemble playing colourful music while guests clink their spoons against their glasses to have hot milk poured into their lechero coffees.
La Parroquia has become a state-wide (and beyond) coffee chain, and has more modern locations as well as charming traditional ones. Our go-to restaurant is in the Las Americas mall, which is a very convenient breakfast spot when staying at the Galeria Plaza. We also visited their modern 200 anniversary location in Boca del Rio, and found the service and coffee exquisite. Wherever you go, you will find a Parroquia— a must for anyone visiting Veracruz.
Favourite Restaurant in Boca del Rio:
La Luna Sul Mare
La Luna Sul Mare is a waterfront spot we found in Boca del Rio. It is an Italian restaurant that serves delicious salads, homemade pastas, artisanal pizzas, steaks, chicken, seafood, and to-die-for tiramisu.
They also make a special truffle pasta with the Gran Padano Experience, where a pyrotechnic sets a massive sized piece of cheese aflame, and then scrapes the melted gran padano out, and mixes it into your pasta.
This place was so good that we came twice in one week. We tried different foods on each visit, and the quality, freshness and taste was consistent in each. The service was professional and welcoming. It’s a casually high end place, where many people (including me) were celebrating their birthdays or other special occasions. Definitely put this on your list!
Best Western Plus Riviera Veracruz:
The Best Western was a hotel we decided to try out this time, as we wanted to see what else was out there. It is not in Boca del Rio, but about 15 minutes further out, in Antón Lizardo. This is a much quieter area, with some new developments, including residential neighbourhoods, and ‘lot for sale’ signs. Consider that coming here, if you want to leave the hotel for restaurants or shopping, would be best done with a car.
We were very happy with the hotel— it is only three years old, very clean, very comfortable, and quiet. The beach was tranquil and undisturbed, and the water was warm to swim in, without any big waves. My son and I discovered a few little crabs walking on the shore, and spent about an hour building a sand house for a living sand dollar— a creature I had never seen before!
The hotel had some events on the weekend, with a large crowd of people dressed up and dancing. On the weekdays, the occupancy was very low. The pool was very quiet and chill, with some families who were visiting from various places, including Mexico City.
The restaurant had a breakfast buffet which did not live up to the full glory of Galeria Plaza. We had a few other things to eat while we were there, and the service was great, food was good but nothing too fancy. For us, despite the modern facilities and great service, it lacked the charm and warmth of Galeria Plaza. But, if I were looking for a place to totally disconnect and relax, or were travelling on business, I would come here again.
It was a very relaxing and peaceful stay. It appears to be in an up-and-coming area, and I am sure that in ten years time, it will be bustling. Come check it out now if you want to enjoy the quiet and calm.
Spa:
Claro de Luna Spa
Since we were visiting Veracruz on this occasion to celebrate my birthday, my wonderful husband kindly gifted me with a spa treatment at Claro de Luna, just a four minute drive up the street from the Best Western. It sits on the same calm shoreline as the hotel, in a very serene setting.
I decided to book an 80 minute deep-tissue massage, and booked via What’s App (click reserve on their website to be connected). They asked for 50% of the payment upfront, which we did with a Wise transfer. Once my appointment was officially booked, they asked me to bring a bathing suit and block out about 2 and a half hours of my day, as I would be invited to a complimentary hydrotherapy experience before the massage. I was intrigued. I didn’t know then, but it would be a mind and body altering experience.
The hydrotherapy involves a circuit of different baths, all housed in a giant pool, in a dark room with blue, purple, and white lights. Classical music is playing, or rather, romantic-impressionist era music, such as Debussy’s Clair de Lune. There are spots with giant bubble jets and high-pressure waterfalls, each customized to target different areas of your body. The whole time you’re in there, you are so immersed in the water that you kind of become one with the water. You have nothing to do but become connected with your own thoughts and body, and so I decided to do some focused meditation, and had a personal epiphany.
Afterwards, you dunk into a cold bath to bring your body temperature back down, and then spend ten minutes in a sauna, followed by a steam room. After this, you rinse off in the shower, and get in your robe for your massage.
My massage was with a woman named Andreli. It started with the dong of a bell, some essential oils being whiffed, with the instruction, to be present in the moment. The massage itself was hands-down the best I have ever had. All of my tensions were worked out. When I came out and she asked me how I felt, I said, “like an extraterrestrial”.
The whole experience at the Claro de Luna was psychedelic. If you want to reset your body and mind, definitely consider this treat for yourself.
To Sum It Up:
Veracruz is a gem of Mexico which we discovered by accident, but keep coming back to. With it’s hot and humid weather, playas, modern amenities, fair prices, charm, and beach city vibes, this is a place you definitely want to put on your Mexican bucket list.
Hasta Luego!
We specialize in custom trips to Puebla. As a former flight attendant/pilot duo, we will help you organize your itinerary from flights, buses, Ubers, AirBnbs to local hot spots such as restaurants, cafes, coworking spaces, and more, based on your unique needs.
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