This is a really charming place. We found the staff helpful. the only drag was now and again there were hoards of tour groups but this was always temporary.

We are not picky when it comes to accommodation (I mean - we stayed at that other hotel in Angangueo!), so when a hotel is this highly recommended and does not live up to the promise... Well, we decided to post this comment.

First thing: staff at the front desk are very unfriendly (but not hostile): you cannot get them to say Hola, Buenos Dias, little else to offer a smile, or any help with info on the town, etc.

Hotel is in disrepair: our toilet bowl was cracked and leaking, bath faucets were rusty with teflon tape hanging all the way down, and the tub had incredibly yucky stains.

You will need earplugs:

1- While the hotel website claims they changed windows to soundproof - the reality is that the street the hotel is located on has 2 very popular parking lots, and with the street being one-way and narrow, with the parking lots attracting loads of users, the street is constantly backed up = plenty of honking.
2 - Hotel is very popular with groups. There was a different group each day, which translated to a lot of luggage hauling early in the morning, and long and loud breakfast/dinner sessions that kept us awake due to not-sound-proof doors.

Double room costs $70.00, which in our extensive experience of traveling in Mexico is waaay overpriced. Tour groups pay about 35-40 % less for lodging and dining at the Colonial, which is more in line with what the hotel should cost.

On the good side: there are some nice views from the rooftop, although the seats were removed so you need to stand. Hotel has washing machines / dryers.

Great location, pedestrian street very close to Zocalo. Nice room with two balconies and high ceilings. The decorations were very colonial. Nice meals in the restaurant with very professional staff. There is internet access, but no USB port, but lots of internet cafes nearby if you need a USB.

The one problem we did have there was when we tried to arrange to get some laundry done. They gave us a price list which charged per item, so US$1.50 for a pair of socks etc. I then asked if there was a laundry nearby. They directed us to one a couple of blocks away that was closed. We then found one a long way away. Later we found that there was a coin operated laundry on the hotel roof for guests. Maybe it was our poor Spanish, but we did waste a lot of time.

My husband and I stayed at the Hotel Colonial from right after Christmas past New Year, during what might be their busiest time. We spent nine nights and in two different rooms. After the first five nights we were able to move into a much nicer (i.e., brighter and updated) room. From our immediate experiences as well as from peeking into other rooms as they got cleaned, I believe that although a good half of the rooms are extremely charming (renovated, nice tiles, balconies, not just high but architecturally interesting ceilings), the rest vary greatly. Rates depend only on the number of people occupying and otherwise are the same, regardless of room features. Posted rates went up during our stay (though we were charged what we had been promised.). Common spaces, such as the dining room, stairways, and the often-mentioned roof garden are really all very classy, unique, and beautiful. The hotel location is convenient, scenic (small, treed square; churches; little markets nearby - lovers' lane passing right in front) and as quiet as it can get in this lively (which is a good thing) Mexican city.

I booked our room directly with the hotel (via email) in August, requesting a nice view and, if at all possible, a balcony (having read previous reviews on Trip Advisor). When we arrived, we had been assigned a room which did have a nice view (out on to a square with one of Puebla's most beautiful churches). It was also quiet. However, the overall large but much longer-than-wide room had only one relatively small window, set into a very thick wall, with (decorative and permanent) bars in front of it. The room dimensions and the window placement made for a darkish and somewhat prison-like atmosphere. Also, the bathroom in this room (#119) had not been renovated recently. The tiles were brownish-pink, many of them broken, and looked more than what one would see in an un-rehabbed American house from the 60s than what one would expect in a city famous for its tile work. The ceiling was high but featured only-poorly-concealed external ductwork . Considering that night time temps can go quite low in the winter and that there is no apparent (or perceivable) source of heat, the lack of light and sunshine also made the room quite cold. We grabbed extra blankets off the second bed we didn't use and that kept us reasonably warm. However, the room was clean and the furniture quite stylish. We were somewhat but not deeply disappointed. The next room over (#118) appeared to be a bit larger (it had a seating area), had two windows, and somewhat better tile work but generally resembled #119. Both are sequestered away from other rooms though I could never quite figure out how the exactly the hotel's floor plan works - no wonder in such an old (and really, extremely charming) building.

When we first saw our room, we were a bit but not deeply disappointed. Ironically, our little window offered a corner view right on to one of the rooms with a balcony. We asked whether we might change rooms, considering we were there for nine nights. The staff told us to check again in two days when a tour group would leave. After two days, they said that another tour group needed to leave (in another two days) before we could get our room with balcony. After five nights, we moved into a great spacious room on the second floor (#203) with a balcony, high painted ceilings, nice tiles, looking on to shady lovers' lane, and yet ready to receive some warming sunshine. We really, really enjoyed it.

During our stay, we also realized that - at least for us (especially me, a bit of a claustrophobe) - there would have been worse rooms than our old #119. Some rooms are much smaller and have (barred) windows into the roofed/covered courtyard, or worse, the hallway, with people walking by a foot from your bed and little light (or fresh air, I imagine) getting in.

In summary, the Hotel Colonial really offers very charming, clean, and comfortable rooms at a good price (despite the recent rate increase). Considering that here is quite a diversity in how these are appointed, though, I would recommend that travelers try to book a specific room (by room number), understanding which features it has and does not have. My request for a balcony room, made half a year in advance but without pinning down a specific room assignment, evidently did not bear fruit. I also felt that we might have been competing for the better rooms with the numerous tour groups (from Europe, the US, and Mexico) that frequented the hotel during our stay. It might be easier for the individual traveler to score one of the (many) great rooms at first try (we had to wait 5 nights) during a less busy season than winter break.